KOTA KINABALU: Second-half substitute Azrul Ejati Damsah levelled the score for the Rhinos to salvage a 1-1 draw against DPMM of Brunei in the Sabah FA’s Triangular Football Tournament that ended at the Tawau Sports Complex field on Tuesday.
With this result both teams were declared joint champions as they were on level terms with four points each.
In the opener, Sabah blanked Persiba of Balik Papan 2-0, while DPMM scored a 3-1 victory over the Kalimantan outfit.
However, the match (DPMM-Persiba) was only played for the first 45 minutes due to a thunderstorm.
“It was a good two matches for the team,” said Rahman Zakaria.
“Overall, we are happy with the way they approached these matches. But there is certainly room for improvement,” the Rhinos team manager added.
“We have got about three weeks left to prepare, and I believe we will be prepared and ready to face Armed Forces in the opener of the Premier League on December 17 in an away battle.
“Now our only task left is to find that final jigsaw, which is to look for a foreign striker,” said Rahman.
Currently, they are two Nigerians on trial with the team, but Rahman said they still need to have a good look at them before a decision is made.
At the same time, he added that they are also expecting a few more foreign strikers for trials. A top Croatian striker was supposed to have agreed to come and sign for Sabah without attending trials. But his current club refused that.
Assistant Minister of Rural Development Datuk Taufiq Abu Bakar Titingan and Sabah FA Deputy President Datuk Lawrence Gimbang were there to present the prizes to the winners.
