Soccer: Fidadi ends agony for Red Giants


Wednesday, June 3, 1998

By Joniston Bangkuai

SABAH ... 0 SELANGOR ... 1

WED: Sabah, perhaps overconfident, failed to repeat their first round win over Selangor when they
went down by a solitary goal in an entertaining match at Likas Stadium last night, reports

The win was a welcome relief to the Red Giants, who had come under criticism from their fans for
their recent lackadaiscal performance.

Selangor went ahead in the 65th minute through Fidadi Mohamed and could have added another
goal in the 85th. But his kick from the penalty, awarded by referee Mohamed Sukri Mat Amin for a
handball by Henry Saimpon, was saved by Sabah goalkeeper Khairul Azman Mohamed.

The home team's poor defending nearly allowed Selangor to take the lead in the 26th minute but
Rizal Hassan's shot off a short pass from Fidadi was inches wide on the left with Khairul well beaten.

The homesters were presented with a sitter in the 40th minute but David Rocastle's point blank shot
was brilliantly saved by Abdul Hadi.

The second half saw Sabah attack relentlessly and had a chance to take the lead on at least four
occasions after the break.

Then, in one of their quick counter attacks, Selangor opened accounts when Aizal Lamin floated the
ball from the right for an unmarked Fidadi to connect with a header to the far left of the net.

Fidadi could have widened their lead in the 62nd minute, but his shot from inside the box was
blocked by a defender.

SABAH: Khairul Azman Mohamad, Burhan Ajui (Jainin Tinin), Veselin Kovacevic, Jelius Ating,
Madzalan Emoi, Henry Soimpon, Abdullah Awang Adi (Romzi Musa), Musa Hendrik, David
Rocastle, Yap Wai Loon, Suharmin Yusuf (Jaya Kassim).

SELANGOR: Abdul Hadi Tahir, Mehmet Durokavic, Zainal Abidin Hassan, Mohd Ezmi Jan, Abdul
Rauf Ahmad, Aizal Lamin, Azzmi Abdul Aziz, Asmawi Bakiri, Mohd Rizal Hassan (Hairil Zamri
Rashid), Nazzab Hidzan (K Gunalan), Fidadi Mohamed.

REFEREE: Mohamad Sukri Mat Amin (Terengganu).

Crowd: 10,000

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