KOTA KINABALU: Sabah moved to fourth spot after securing a 3-1 win over hapless Kuala Lumpur in a Premier League challenge at the Likas Stadium last night.With Johor Pasir Gudang fumbling in Kuantan, the Rhinos climbed a rung up from fifth on 40 points. Johor Pasir Gudang who were edged 3-2 by Shahzan Muda at the Darul Makmur Stadium despite taking a 1-0 first half lead, dropped to fifth on 39 points. The surprise inclusion of Brazilian Andre Scotti Ossemer seemed to bring some magic into the team as it was he that drew first blood for the homesters. The nippy striker, who was reinstated to replace the injured Englishman Jamie Phoenix, repaid the faith of the management by slotting home from close range in the 28th minute.
In the 33rd minute, Sabah were 2-0 up when stand-in captain Bobby Gonzales beat the offside trap to go one-on-one to beat the keeper Mohd Shahfiz Amri. Bobby coolly shot a grounder from an acute angle getting the better of the on-rushing Kuala Lumpur custodian. Sabah did not stop there as Georgian striker Kokhrei Dze Irakli put his name in the score sheet. With five minutes remaining for the first half break, he was presented with a through ball from Chow Chee Wing. And like Bobby, Irakli unleashed a grounder which again defeated the KL shot-stopper Mohd Shahfiz for the third time in the space of 13 minutes.
In the 42nd minute, Azrine Affendy Sa’duddin squandered an opportunity to reduce the deficit for the visitors as his attempt from inside of the box went over the crossbar.
But the fans’ hope of seeing a high scoring night did not materialise in the second half as Sabah failed to produce their first half show. Instead, it was the visiting team that looked much more dangerous. But their consolation came late in the game when Azidan Sarudin unleashed a spectacular shot from just outside the box with eight minutes remaining into regulation time.
The win however was not enough to keep Sabah’s hope of a third-place finish as Kelantan won their battle against Melaka. They picked up maximum points after registering a 3-1 win on the road that eventually helped them keep pace with the top two teams.
KL Plus, despite being held to a two-all draw by Selangor PKNS at the MBPJ Stadium in Kelana Jaya, remained at the top of the standings on better goal average than second-placed Kuala Muda Naza, who edged Felda United 1-0 at the KLFA Stadium in Cheras.
Both are level on 54 points, but Kuala Muda Naza has a game in hand than their rivals. Kelantan are in third on 50 points. Sabah’s next game is at the Likas Stadium on Tuesday when they take on Pahang in the second leg of the FA Cup quarter-finals.
