BATTLEGROUND: A Sarawak president cup player (in red) vies for the ball with Johor MP Muar players at Stadium Negeri yesterday. The homesters lost 3-1 in the ill-tempered match which saw two Sarawak players getting the marching orders and a fracas involving players and officials of both sides at the end of regulation time. — Photo by Rais Sanusi
KUCHING: The Sarawak president cup squad succumbs to a 3-1 home defeat in the hands of the highly rated Johor MP Muar team yesterday.
The visitors opened account as early as the 5th minute when an unmarked Puganeswaran coolly slotted the ball pass the Sarawak custodian.
Heavy rain than forced the game to be halted for 10 minutes.
At the restart, the homesters controlled possession as they pushed for the equaliser.
Sarawak earned a penalty in the 41st minute with Ahmad Faiz taking the spot kick.
Much to the chagrin of the homesters, his shot was duly saved by Johor MP Muar’s keeper and hopes for an equaliser was dashed.
However, Ahmad Faiz quickly redeemed himself by netting the equaliser after the breather. Sarawak was trailing again when Mohd Nizam restored the lead for his team.
In the dying minutes of the match, Johor MP Muar earned a penalty after a foul by a Sarawak defender inside the 6-yards box. Johor MP Muar converted the penalty and the 3-1 remained until the final whistle.
However, it was double jeopardy for the homesters as two of their players were sent off after the last goal of the match was scored. There was a scuffle involving players and officials of both teams just after the match as Sarawak protested the decision of the referee to award Johor MP Muar the penalty.
Sarawak manager Haidel Heli praised the courage of his boys after the match.
He however was disappointed with the decision of the official to award a penalty to the visitors at the end of the second half. Sarawak will next face ATM away in their next match at the MINDEF Stadium this Thursday.