Just A Few Things: KL Vs. Selangor
Credit- FA Selangor
Back From The Dead
On a week of astonishing comebacks making headlines around world football, we have just witnessed another one here in Malaysia. Could this well be the crucial turning point Selangor needed? By half-time, they look like a giant about to die of old age and fall a lot harder than they would. But a few tweaks saw Selangor storming back in the second half after a dismal showing in the first. They not only were behind 2-0, they also had to contend with the early loss of Rufino Segovia after he landed awkwardly from an aerial battle.
Did they ever give up? No. Not with bragging rights in the Klang Valley Derby on the line and most importantly, their season. They were a lot more patient in building up attacks and weren’t sloppy with it. They were rewarded with a three-goal blitz in a space on nine minutes that sent the City Boys reeling. It took five attempts, but finally Selangor got things rolling at the expense of KL, who is sent down to further despair.
Wak Am-Boi, Amboi
One change that contributed to Selangor’s renaissance was the introduction of Amri Yahyah to replace Faiz Nasir at half-time. Faiz was somewhat erratic in the wings as Selangor rarely threatened from his side. But given he was playing out of position once again, can you blame him for not able to play his best? As a result of that sub, Selangor looked far more incisive in the wing area. Amri had a free role in the centre with another substitute, Sean Eugene Selvaraj moving to the left-wing and Syazwan Zainon on the right.
Sathianathan got this spot-on. The players’ positioning and movement when attacking looked much more fluid. But it was Amri who became the hero of the night when he rose highest to head in a loose air ball after it came off Sharbinee Allawee’s leg after Sean Eugene’s low cross caused chaos. The sheer unpredictability of what Selangor could do going forward unnerved KL whether it was from the wings, centre or a long ball. In the end though Amri was the difference in this match.
Same Old Defensive Problems
Behind the glitz of a good comeback story though were the familiar weaknesses of Selangor’s backline. Whenever KL had the ball in the Red Giants final third, there was no sense of discipline to coordinate the defensive line. It didn’t help that there were lapses of concentration that lead to both of KL’s goals.
Swafwan Syahlan was allowed to jump in between two defenders to head KL in the lead early in the match and Taylor Regan of all people made an error so unbelievable that no word could justify it. He headed a cross downwards with no one near him and gifted Indra Putra a goal. The defence is still a massive worry for Selangor and it’s something hopefully for Sathianathan and the higher-ups to look into.
Zaiful Zeal
It was a shame for KL the match ended the way it was when they looked so bright in the first half. Especially for their right-back Zaiful Abdul Hakim who had a tremendous first 45 minutes. He benefitted from loads of space down the right that is largely due from Selangor left-back, Nurridzuan Abu Hassan keep getting sucked inside of the pitch.
Along his movements, his crosses were just as excellent. After all, he was the one that supplied the goals with his crosses. First for Syafwan’s header and then teed up the second that lead to Regan’s error. Zaiful was perhaps the best player for KL on this night, so he’ll be left frustrated, along with the goalscorers, that their efforts were in vain.
Goodbye Yusri
It’s bad enough you have lost all of your matches heading into this match, but to lose when you have a two-goal lead may have surely signed your pink slip out of here. But Yusri Che Lah knows when the going gets a lot tougher then it is supposed to be. The fallout of the defeat, especially the manner of it, saw the ex-Kelantan head coach announcing his resignation as KL head coach just today.
Five defeats in a row and KL is officially now a contender for relegation battle once again. They narrowly escaped such fate last season finishing 10th, but now they are performing a lot worse than they were compared to when they were under their previous head coach, Fabio Maciel. Although with the next league matchday not until the end of this month, KL has time to gauge and carefully appoint their next head coach. Given their troubles, they have to get this right.
As for Yusri, he should take some time off and reflect on his mistakes. However, he may not be short on job offers given his work with Kelantan on the closing stages of last season and his passion, which is why KL took him in the first place. Sadly, it didn’t work out for either side in the end.