Just A Report: UiTM Vs. Perlis

Credit- Malaysia Football League

Perlis’ sublime game of football earned them a well-deserved 3-0 victory over a labored UiTM FC at Shah Alam that spelled a much happier ending to a second campus tour thanks to a brace by Khyril Muhymeen and French winger, Kevin Osei

However, their line-up raised a few eyebrows as their Brazilian players, Wellington Priori & Valci Junior, were missing from the matchday squad. But given the way the Northern Lions played at UiTM, their absence didn’t matter in the end following an energetic and bright display.

UiTM though fired the first shot after just five minutes. UiTM attacked on the break and Adi Said found Robert Mendy on the left. Mendy went for a curler, only for Shahril Shaari pulling off a stupendous one-handed save to deny the striker.

But Perlis fought back and created some chances in a space of a few minutes. First, Nazrin Syamsul unmarked in the center, had his effort blocked and then Kevin Osei’s low shot was cleared off the line. It could’ve been much different had Shahril not got his fingers on Adi Said’s attempted chip moments before the latter.

Perlis though didn’t let up, continuing to crank up the pressure with UiTM getting less and less of the ball. Then on 32 minutes, Perlis deservedly broke the deadlock after some brilliant one-touch football.

Fahrul Razi started the play by initiating a 1-2 with Safee. With Afif Asyraf pulled towards Safee, it allowed Fahrul to run free to retrieve the ball from Safee and instead of shooting, he decided to lay it off for Khyril Muhymeen who surely couldn’t miss for the match’s opener.

It didn’t take long for Perlis to get a second. Hafizi Amiruddin played a low cross just nicely for Safee. Strangely, Safee opted to dink the ball over a UiTM defence. Thankfully, it was a beautiful one and it resulted in Khyril getting his second of the night after heading it in point-blank, despite UiTM’s calls for offside.

Perlis thought they got a third when Shukor Azmi’s low rocket struck a teammate and the ball went in. But the linesman flagged offside much to the annoyance of Perlis.

The 2nd half opened without the same vigor as it did when the first half ended. However, Perlis never looked to be threatened at all. Khyril though should’ve completed his hat-trick on the hour mark when despite being only one centimeter from goal, he headed over an open net when Safee himself headed the ball to his path after UiTM goalkeeper Nor Haziq made a mess of a corner.

Thankfully for Khyril, it didn’t matter in the end. Osei, who played tremendously for the full 90 with his tenacity, made sure of the points on 73 minutes by powerfully burying Azmizi Azmi’s cutback from the left-wing by the near post.

Khyril however had another chance to wrap up his hat-trick in astonishing style just before stoppage time with a beautiful bicycle kick, but could only hit the post and Safee’s rebound was correctly ruled out for offside.

UiTM XI

25 Nor Haziq Mohd Aris ©

4 Bernard Agele

7 Nik Syafiq Syazwan

12 Muhammad Afif Asyraf

14 Amer Azahar

17 Robert Mendy

20 Adi Said (33 Zulkarnain Rosli, ’57)

21 Faizal Mohd Arif

25 Ahmad Azriddin Rosli

31 Muhd Nizaruddin (10 Nur Areff Kamaruddin, 80)

32 Muhd Rafie Mat Yaacob (23 Nuzul Iman, ’69)

Subs

1 Muhammad Azam Jais

5 Syahmi Shukri

16 Shafiq Al-Hafiz

27 Zulkhairy Zulkefly

Yellow Cards: Robert Mendy ’36, Bernard Agele ‘62

Perlis XI

25 Shahril Shaari

3 Azmi Muslim

5 Masaki Watanabe

7 Fahrul Razi Kamaruddin (23 Jasmir Mehat, ’82)

8 Shukor Azmi

10 Safee Sali ©

11 Nazrin Syamsul (24 Amiridzwan Taj, ‘90+2)

17 Azmizi Azmi

18 Khyril Muhymeen

21 Mohd Hafizi Amiruddin (28 Abdul Aziz Ismail, ’82)

30 Kevin Osei

Subs

29 Fikri Che Soh

4 Che Mohamad Safwan Hazman

12 Syamin Baharudin

14 Fakhrullah Rosli

Yellow Cards: Khyril Muhymeen ’32