2013 Cebagoo FC Squad

President: Mohd Joh Wid
Team manager: Mohd Ishak Datuk Ayub
Assistant manager: Asri Abd Mali
Head coach: Razali Mohd Zinin
Assistant coach: Jelius Ating
Fitness coach: Hassan Madisah
Physiotherapist: Eszico Joseph
Security: Jais Damin
Kitman: Jamal Damin
Team secretary: Rosmat Apiu,
Assistant secretary: Mohidin Zainal
Media officer: Mino Erysah Arshad

 PLAYERS (Unsorted):
1. Abdul Thaufiq Abdul Haq
2. Adnan Arman
3. Ag. Mohd Nazree Yusop
4. Al Tadzri Ahmad Razif
5. Budi Amri (GK)
6. Dediwan Soni Dominikus
7. Faez Akmal Jeffery
8. Faisal Aldin
9. Flintstonson Buiyinu
10. Gerd Smith Chin Chiu
11. Hafiz Aldin
12. Karim Damin
13. Mohd Nazrien Sani
14. Mohd Arfiyansah Abd. Jafar
15. Mohd Arif Awang
16. Mohd Azhar Sabih
17. Mohd Firdaus Shamsuddin
18. Mohd Nazmer Stuh
19. Mohd Nizam Jefferi
20. Mohd Noorazam Syah
21. Mohd Reithaudin Awang Emran
22. Mohd Shapawi Maiddin
23. Mohd Sifihi Yusof
24. Norsiwandy Jaffery
25. Nur Syahri Saili
26. Radiman Damit
27. Rainol Masaat
28. Romeyrio Gascoinge Tony
29. Shabri Amberen
30. Shairul Boidi (GK)
31. Sukree Jamlih (GK)
32. Vun Kit Ming @ Billyton
33. Zain Ambarog
34. Zainal Hassan
35. Zulfikri Jemai

2013 U-21 Squad

Manager: Datuk Juil Nuatim
Head Coach: Justin Ganai
Asst.Coach: Burhan Ajui

Players: (Unsorted)
1. Ag Ku Mohd Hamizan Ag Ku Hamzah
2. Anwari Mohd Tajuddin
3. Benerlys Raim
4. Dendy Lowa
5. Didie Arizal Ibrahim
6. Dyrrance Junaidih
7. Endre S Tipay
8. Eyo Matthew
9. Fread Filemon Saih
10. Frinly Mosiong
11. Gerald Sean Mojikon
12. Hafizal Jinik
13. Hafizan Jahar
14. Jenius Karib
15. Jenryanus Paulus
16. Mohd Alfian Jamil
17. Mohd Badrul Affendy Mohd Fadzli
18. Mohd Nazrin Ramli
19. Rawilson Batul
20. Rexjeson Pitrus
21. Robson Rendy Rining
22. Sabri Sahar
23. Shazree Ruhif Ismail
24. Umareng Bacok
25. Zul Mansshah Aling

Former Sabah defender Miroslav dies in Surabaya

Daily Express

Kota Kinabalu: Former Sabah semi-pro defender from the Czech Republic, Janu Miroslav has died after complaining of chest pains at the Islam Jemursari Hospital in Surabaya Indonesia on Thursday. Miroslav, 53, was admitted to the hospital at about 10.40am but efforts to help him turned out to be futile and he was pronounced dead at about 12.21pm.

 News portal Borneo Insider who broke the news said the body of the Persebaya DU coach would be cremated upon his family's request. Manager of Persebaya DU, Bambang Pramukantoro said Miroslav returned from Bali on Wednesday afternoon showing no signs of any problem. He last heard from Miroslav on Thursday morning when he phoned him to discuss the team evaluation scheduled for Friday.

 Miroslav who was remembered as a hard tackling no nonsense central defender first featured for Sabah in 1990, together with his fellow countrymen Denk Miroslav (striker) and Netolicka Jaruslav (goalkeeper). English Consultant Coach for Sabah, Pat Wright brought the trio and later coach Oldrich Sedlacek into Sabah's team, which in 1990 managed to reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup and finished eighth in Division of the Semi Pro League.

Ten-man Sabah prove their mettle

sports247.my

RETURNING HERO: Koh Traore came back from injury to score the opening goal.

 TEN-MAN Sabah sent Super League side Felda United FC out of the FA Cup after a first round 2-1 win at the Likas Stadium today. Koh Traore was restored to the starting line-up following a minor injury and did not disappoint as he gave Sabah a 14th minute lead in what turned out to be the only real chance in the first half.

 The Malian foward showed great enthusiasm to score from close range after Shahruddin Yakup’s cross into the box caused panic inside the opponents box. Traore then saw his bullet header early in the second half palmed away by Felda goalkeeper Mohd Helmi Eliza Elias before Alto Linus fired over shortly after.

 The misses proved costly as Mohammad Ghaddar equalised on 63 minutes after sending Sabah custodian Shahril Sa’ari the wrong way from the spot. Former Kelantan hitman Ghaddar had won the penalty kick after he was fouled by Sharul Azhar Ture, which resulted in a straight red for the latter. Sabah’s woe continued five minutes later when David Rhys Weston had to come off due to injury but to the hosts’ credit, they did not succumb to the setbacks.

Ex-Sabah defender passes away

sports247.my

FORMER Sabah defender Janu Miroslav passed away last night after he suffered a heart attack in Surabaya, Indonesia. The 53-year-old Czech had played for Sabah from 1990 to 1992. After ending his playing career in 1993 with Czech side Bohemians Prague, Janu took up coaching and earned a coaching stint with Czech Division 2 side Most in 2002.

 A year later, he began his Indonesian journey by joining Persigo before a host of other clubs which included a stint with Slavia Prague’s youth squad. His last position was with Persebaya Surabaya, also known as Bonek.

 Miroslav’s best achievement as a coach was in 2011 when he led Arema FC to the runners-up spot in the Indonesian Super League.

Yusof: Believe in yourselves!

New Sabah Times

MINOR SHAKE-UP … McCreery (left), and Yusof at the team’s training ahead of today’s FA Cup first round encounter against KL Felda United FC at the Likas Stadium. Kick off time is at 4.15pm.

KOTA KINABALU: Newly appointed team manager Datuk Yusof Kassim aims to put the happiness back into the State football fraternity. However, it cannot be done overnight, and he needs time to change the team’s outlook from strugglers to title contenders. He insisted that they indeed have a squad that can challenge for honours in the M-League 2013.

 But for that to happen, the players must have the right mindset, determination, spirit and commitment. “Give me a chance to find out (problems in the team), and I’ll try to do it fast,” Yusof said, when met at the team’s light training at the Likas Stadium yesterday. And prior to the training, the players were summoned to a meeting at the FA’s office, which was chaired by Deputy President Datuk Lawrence Gimbang.

 “It (the meeting) was aimed to give the players some encouragement, build up their confidence and to find out their problems. We have picked a few points from the meeting and will look into it,” said Yusof, who took over the hotseat from interim team manager Alijus Hj Sipil on Wednesday.

Players need to have self-belief

Daily Express

Kota Kinabalu: The philosophy is to win the game tomorrow, said newly appointed Sabah team manager Datuk Yusof Kassim on Thursday. The Sabah Football Association Vice President II was commenting on the FA Cup first round tie today (Friday) against Felda United at 4.15pm at the Likas Stadium.

 He was at the stadium after a meeting with the players at the Safa office to watch the players going through about 45 minutes of training under David McCreery. "From what I saw today, they are a bunch of good players and I hope they can transform that onto the pitch tomorrow. I believe what they need to do now is to start to believe in themselves."

 He also clarified that there was no problem within the team and the meeting held earlier on was to motivate them and only concentrate on the FA Cup tie today. Yusof, however, won't be able to sit on the bench today as he is yet to be officially registered in the team and Aljius Sipil is still the official team manager at the time being.

Yusof is new Sabah manager

http://www.sports247.my

A NEW manager has taken over the Sabahawks who kick off their FA Cup opener at Likas Stadium in Kota Kinabalu tomorrow. Sabah FA vice-president Datuk Yusof Mohd Kassim took over from interim manager Alijus Sipil who is also the secretary-general two days ago.

 The Sabahawks will take on Super League outfit KL Felda United FC and the return leg is set for Feb 26. “My appointment as interim manager was only temporary because of my work commitments,” said Alijus who is attached with the City Hall. “The team manager’s position requires full commitment and attention.

The FA decided that the post be given to Datuk Yusof,” he said. Sabah are seventh in the 12-team Premier League after five games. They beat KL Spa Putrajaya FC 2-1 and NS Betaria FC 2-0 in the first two home games but lost to KL Sime Darby 1-3 and Kuala Lumpur 2-3 away. Last Monday they suffered their first home defeat to Kedah 0-2.

David McCreery berang

Sinar Harian

JURULATIH Sabah, David McCreery berang selepas pemainnya tewas buat pertama kali di Likas pada saingan Liga Perdana musim ini. Katanya, pemain itu tidak bermain baik sambil membiarkan gol mudah diperoleh pasukan Kedah.

 "Saya tidak mahu sebut siapa pemain itu. Dia tidak berada pada posisi sepatutnya dan dia menghadiahkan gol mudah pelawat. "Mereka adalah pemain berpengalaman dan menjadi tugas membimbing skuad muda. Apa pun, kita perlu bekerja keras untuk pasukan," katanya.

 Begitu pun, bekas bintang tengah Manchester United itu berharap, kekalahan tersebut menjadi pengajaran agar perbaiki permainan pada perlawanan seterusnya.

Players need time to adapt

Daily Express

Kota Kinabalu: Criticism of the State football team must stop as this is a new squad needing transition. Being denied the acceptance, patience and tolerance that usually goes with it will increase intense pressure from the fans that will definitely affect the performance of the players on the pitch. After their 2-0 defeat to Kedah on Monday, Sabah found themselves in 7th position in the Premier League standings with six points from five matches played which was five points off their intended target of 11 points.

 They are seven points behind leaders PDRM and the players need to improve their game fast if they are to get back within a shout of the race for promotion next season. Based on their matches played so far, they lacked a powerful presence in the middle of the field who can provide excellent cover for the back line and at the same time able to go forward.

 Youngster Sabri Sahar, who only played in the first half of the opening match against KL SPA suits the role perfectly but why was he not allowed to play in the latter matches is anybody's guess. No doubt he did not play up to the mark in the game but it wasn't easy for anybody coming in especially with so much responsibility in that position and with new faces around you as well.

Sabah crash to home defeat

Daily Express

Kota Kinabalu: A poor Sabah side succumbed to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Kedah in the Premier League match at the Likas Stadium on Monday. A goal from each half saw the visiting team come away with full points and it was also the first home defeat for Sabah in the 2013 season. The team was simply not good enough with the performance shown if they want to return to the Super League next season.

 Sabah had a marvellous chance early on to open the scoring but Wan Aliff Wan Jasmi missed his kick instead and things went from bad to worse from then on as Kedah, powered by Sabah rejects Zuraindey Jumai and Mohd Farris Mat Isa, took control of the match and had the home players pinned in their own half.

 The players were unable to win the ball with missing tackles and failure to deliver good crosses completely unzipped the back that caused the dismal performance that ultimately cost them the game. Despite the presence of Rhys David Weston, the overworked defence finally caved in in the 39th minute with a swiftly taken half volley from Mohd Khyril Muhymeen Zambri.

First home defeat

New Sabah Times

LEAKY DEFENCE … Sabahawks’ Rhys David Weston (No 6) clashes with the Kedah custodian Abd Hadi Abbdul Hamid from the ensuing corner kick during their Premier League at the Likas Stadium yesterday.

KOTA KINABALU: Clueless Sabahawks succumbed to their first home defeat in a Premier League match yesterday – no thanks to their lackadaisical performance. They went down 2-0 to the visiting Kedah, who scored a goal in each half through skipper Mohd Khyril Muhymeen Zambri and Muhamad Fiqkry Md Isa. 

This was their third defeat from five games played thus far, and the signs are not looking good for the State side in their quest for Super League promotion. National striker Mohd Khyril coolly blasted home the opener from six yards out after receiving a superb cross from Mohd Shazuan Aliff before Muhammad Fiqkry added the second with a grounder from the edge of the penalty box 10 minutes from regulation time.

 But it was certainly uninspiring or rather a half-hearted show from the State squad. Even head coach David McCreery was fuming with the performance put up by his boys. When met shortly after the match, McCreery questioned his charges’ desire and commitment towards their challenge. He hinted that some of his charges are taking things rather too easy.

Lacklustre Sabah pay the price

http://www.sports247.my

KEDAH handed a lacklustre Sabah a first home defeat with a 2-0 win at the Likas Stadium today. Mohd Khyril Muhymeen Zambri and Muhammad Fiqkry Md Isa scored in each half to add misery to Sabah’s already poor start to the Premier League campaign. Khyril took advantage of some sloppy defending by the homesters to hammer the ball into the roof of the net from point-blank range after a low cross from Mohd Shazuan Aliff in the 40th minute.

 Kedah cemented victory when Muhammad Fiqkry Isa fired low past Sabah goalkeeper Shahril Sa’ari from the edge of the box. However, the manner of Sabah’s defeat left many fans disappointed. Sabah lacked creativity and urgency throughout the match and their disjointed and at time dispirited performance made Kedah look like a team of a different class.

 Head coach David McCreery was understandably disappointed, leading him to question the desire and commitment of the players. While refusing to name anyone in particular, the Northern Irishman stressed the players must “stand up and be counted” for their performance. “We can’t give away silly goals,” he said referring to his players’ inability to stop Kedah’s build-up to both goals. “There are experienced players in this squad and young players coming up. Everybody has to work together and fight for the team,” added McCreery.

Kedah kalahkan Sabah 2-0

Utusan

PEMAIN Sabah, Leopold Alfonso (kiri) diasak pemain Kedah, Mohd Fariss Azlan Mat Isa (tengah) pada perlawanan bola sepak Liga Perdana antara Sabah dan Kedah di Stadium Likas, hari ini. - UTUSAN

KUALA LUMPUR 21 Jan. - Kedah mengalahkan Sabah 2-0 pada perlawanan Liga Perdana di Stadium Likas, hari ini. Gol pasukan pelawat dijaringkan oleh Mohd. Khyril Muhymeen Zambree pada minit ke-40, diikuti jaringan Muhamad Fiqkry Md. Isa pada minit ke-80. - UTUSAN

 Keputusan
 Johor 2 - UiTM FC 0
 Sabah 0 - Kedah 2
 Sime Darby 0 - Sarawak 0
 PDRM 1 - Pos Malaysia 1
 Perlis 0 - K. Lumpur 1
 SPA Putrajaya 2 - NS Betaria 3

Critical points

New Sabah Times

KOTA KINABALU: Sabahawks take on Kedah in a tie that interim team manager Alijus Hj Sipil describes as a must-win clash at the Likas Stadium today. He said they can no longer afford to drop points away after throwing six (points) on the road from their last two away encounters with the latest being the 3-2 defeat to Kuala Lumpur on Friday.

 Earlier, Sabahawks also lost their first away game of the season after going down 1-3 to KL Sime Darby FC. “We cannot afford to lose more points especially from our home matches. We need to win this one (against Kedah) in order for us to keep the pace with the teams above us. “The three points (today) will also be critical for us to challenge for the top spots in the standings,” said Alijus ahead of the afternoon showdown, which will be the toughest of tests for the home side thus far this season.

 Sabahawks have won their previous two homes games, edging KL Putrajaya FC 2-1 in the opener before blanking NS Betaria FC 2-0. And Alijus is confident his charges will deliver yet again at the home turf, once dubbed as a fortress by most of the visiting teams. He has every right to have a confident feeling, as he hinted that defender Rhys David Weston could make a return for today’s clash after missing the team’s last three games, including the two away trips. Alijus said: “There is a big possibility that he (Rhys) will feature in tomorrow’s tie.

Sabah need to plug the gaps

Daily Express

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah need to tighten up at the back and show more resilience with their defending if they harbour any hopes of grabbing all three points against Kedah at the Likas Stadium in their Premier League clash today (Monday) at 4.15pm. They must limit the mistakes they made against Kuala Lumpur and Sime Darby in the last two away losses.

 If they can keep the ball and get a foothold in the game, there is a possible chance to get a win with the home ground advantage. The team has been struggling since the start of the season with new set of players and they were lucky to meet two weaker teams in their first two home matches and came away with maximum points.

 Playing against the team who had knocked them out in the first relegation playoff match last season won't be easy especially with the loss of veteran Zainizam Marjan who suffered a knee injury during the match against Kuala Lumpur. The good news is that import player Rhys David Weston who was absent in the last three matches came through the final training session at the UMS football field on Sunday looking fine.

Rhys-cue mission for Sabah

http://www.sports247.my

 CENTRAL defender Rhys David Weston is set to return and bolster Sabah’s defence in the Premier League home tie against Kedah tomorrow. The Welshman has missed Sabah’s last three games through a hamstring injury suffered in the opening game 2-1 victory over SPA Putrajaya, a match that also saw him score an own goal.

 Sabah have since went on to concede six more goals – in the 1-3 and 2-3 defeats to Sime Darby FC and Kuala Lumpur – although they kept a clean sheet in the 2-0 home win over lowly NS Betaria. “Rhys’ absence has been clearly felt and with him back now, I’m very hopeful things will improve (at the back),” team manager Alijus Sipil said yesterday.

 Sabah’s poor away record has seen them looking to their trusted fortress – the Likas Stadium – to pick up the points. “It is very important we do not lose points (at home), which is very critical to challenge for the top position,” Alijus added. He also revealed they were looking at making some changes to the squad after a tight schedule in the opening month of the campaign.

McCreery plots first away win

New Sabah Times

SABAH’S NUMBER 10 … Koh Traore (right), and Zainizam Marjan (3rd left) will spearhead the attack.

KOTA KINABALU: David McCreery will be sticking to his winning side as he eyes their first away win in the tie against lowly Kuala Lumpur at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Cheras today. Albeit any last-minute setback, the Sabahawks’ head coach insisted that he will be using the same set of players that blanked NS Betaria FC 2-0 on Monday.

 McCreery knows this is a good opportunity for them to break the duck on the road considering the fact that Kuala Lumpur are one of the four teams that have yet to pick up a single point after 270 minutes of action. The other three teams are Perlis, UiTM FC and NS Betaria FC. However, he knows that football is a funny old game and that anything can happen.

 For that reason, all he is asking from his charges is to go into the match with the right frame of mind and positive attitude. “They (Kuala Lumpur) have lost all their previous matches before this so it will be up to us to take the match to them. “However, you never know what can happen in matches like this. It will be up to our players to get the job done right.

Premier league Sabah seeking first away win

Daily Express

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah will have a great chance to get their first away win in the 2013 Premier League season today (Friday) at the KLFA Stadium in Cheras. They will be taking on Kuala Lumpur who have yet to win a point and have conceded a total of 12 goals in three matches. The Sabah players on the other hand, despite their unconvincing performance still managed to get two wins and they know that the points are for the taking if they can hold their ground today.

 With Koh Traore in the team, they have a striker who is capable of shooting on target unlike the previous seasons where the team played well only up to the final third and ended with awful finishing. Victory, according to Sabah Premier League team manager Alijus Sipil is all that matters at this stage of the game. 

With six points collected so far they are on the verge of achieving their targeted 11 points this month as set by Alijus with the final match against Kedah to be played at home next Monday. Sabah who got their second home win on Monday again failed to pass crisply and cleanly and the midfield has yet to find its footing but at least they showed some slight improvement.

Alijus wants better show

New Sabah Times

THE SABAH BENCH … from left, Alijus, assistant coach Johnny Dominicus and McCreery, with players and other coaching staff during the Sabah-NS Betaria tie on Monday.

KOTA KINABALU: Despite winning two out of their three opening matches, there are still plenty of question marks hanging over whether the Sabahawks have what it takes to challenge for the 2013 Premier League crown. After 270 minutes of action thus far, many would agree that the State senior side are far from being dubbed as title contenders.

 In the opener at home, they struggled to a 2-1 opening win over all-local KL SPA Putrajaya before being inflicted with their first defeat after losing 3-1 to KL Sime Darby FC away. On Monday, they nicked their second home win after chalking up a 2-0 victory over lowly NS Betaria. And based on the three games, there is still a lot to be done on the team, before we could start dreaming about Super League promotion. 

Even Alijus Hj Sipil admitted that there is plenty of room for improvement. The Sabahawks interim team manager is hoping that the team keep improving their performances with each match. “After three matches into the season, we can see that there are so many aspects that we can improve within the team.

Sabahawks akan terus buru kemenangan

myMetro
Oleh Erdiehazzuan Ab Wahid

Kota Kinabalu: “Kami akan terus memburu tiga mata pada setiap perlawanan selain mahu pemain kurangkan kesilapan,” tegas pengurus Alijus Sipil selepas Sabahawks berjaya membenam NS Betaria FC, 2-0 pada aksi Liga Perdana 2013 di Stadium Likas, semalam. Walaupun bermain di padang lembab ekoran hujan berterusan sejak awal pagi, Alijus melahirkan rasa puas hati dengan aksi 90 minit dipamerkan anak buahnya.

“Ini adalah perlawanan ketiga dalam masa tujuh hari dan setakat ini, saya puas hati dengan aksi ditunjukkan pemain. “Selain itu, saya mahu mengingatkan mereka supaya kurangkan kesilapan dan yang penting adalah memburu kemenangan pada setiap perlawanan,” katanya. Selain mengaku kedudukan dalam liga belum di tahap selesa, Alijus berkata, banyak strategi perlu diatur dan diperbaiki.

 Sabah mendahului perlawanan menerusi Shahrudin Yakup pada minit ke-21 yang menyambar hantaran Koh Traore untuk menewaskan penjaga gol NS Betaria FC, Khairul Izwan. Tuan rumah terlepas peluang menambah gol pada m-63 apabila tandukan Traore hasil hantaran lintang Zainizam Marjam berjaya didakap kemas Khairul.

 Namun kesilapan pemain import lawan, Tomas Chovanec yang tertampan bola ke gawang sendiri membolehkan Sabah menambah gol kedua pada minit ke-85 untuk meraih tiga mata penuh.

Sabah bag maximum points

Daily Express

Kota Kinabalu: It was a second home win for Sabah as they beat NS Betaria 2-0 in their Premier League clash at the rained soaked Likas Stadium pitch on Monday afternoon. Again it wasn't free-flow football that most fans came to see but what mattered most was that they grabbed the full points and did not concede any so far in their two home matches.

 The team opened the scoring when Koh Traore's shot was deflected in by Shahrudin Yakup in the 21st minute off a corner taken by him in the first place. Sabah had the most possession especially towards the end of the half and Sumardi Hajalan should have done better instead of shooting wide when put through by a Zainizam Marjan neat pass inside the box.

 The second half saw Sabah again dominate play and Traore had three chances to extend the lead but the opposition's keeper managed to pull off three brilliant saves to keep the score line at 1-0. And the keeper for reasons known only to himself also received boos from the crowd when he tried to delay the game early in the second half.

Back to winning ways

New Sabah Times

CLOSE CALL … NS Betaria keeper Mohd Khairul Izwan makes a diving save as Sabah’s Shahrudin Yakup lurks for an opportunity during their clash at the Likas Stadium yesterday.

KOTA KINABALU: Sabahawks are back to winning ways after notching a 2-0 victory over NS Betaria in a Premier League tie at the Likas Stadium yesterday. Flanker Shahrudin Yakup put the Sabahawks in front after 21 minutes of play before an own goal by NS Betaria Tomas Chovanec sealed the homesters’ expected victory five minutes from time.

 Sabahawks put up a slightly better performance from their last home game, but it was far from convincing as things still looked pretty messy from the new-look State side. However, the back-to-back home win will certainly help inject greater confidence into the team. Both interim team manager Alijus Hj Sipil and head coach David McCreery concurred that what matters most for the team now is to win as many matches. 

Whether they do it in a beautiful or ugly way is secondary. “The most important thing is the three points, and I’m happy that they have done it,” said Alijus when met after the match. “They also managed to minimise their mistakes, which is also good to see, and obviously, it was not easy to play under those circumstances because the field was heavy due to the downpour.

sabahawks 2013: Keputusan perlawanan Sabah vs NS Betaria FC 14 Jan...

sabahawks 2013: Keputusan perlawanan Sabah vs NS Betaria FC 14 Jan...: Keputusan perlawanan Sabah vs NS Betaria FC 14 Jan 2013 | Analisis dan highlights perlawanan Keputusan penuh perlawanan: SABAH (2) S...

‘A game we must win’

New Sabah Times

KOH … will spearhead the Sabahawks’ attack.

KOTA KINABALU: Interim team manager Alijus Hj Sipil wants the Sabahawks to get back to winning ways when they take on NS Betaria in a Premier League tie at the Likas Stadium today. He said they must make a quick recovery from the 1-3 defeat to KL Sime Darby on Friday in order to keep pace with the rest of the top teams.

 Furthermore, Alijus added, it is important for the team not to drop points away from their home game. “This is a game that we must win, and I believe the players can do it. They put up an improved performance against Sime Darby. However, we paid for our mistakes in that game which we lost,” said Alijus when contacted yesterday.

 “If we can further improve our game and try to minimise our mistakes, I’m quite confident we will be able to register our second win in three games (on Monday),” he added. Alijus has every reason for wanting the team to bag all the three points. Their opponent is currently languishing at the bottom of the table with no points to show and has yet to score a goal after 180 minutes of action.

McCreery remains optimistic despite team’s first defeat

New Sabah Times

KOTA KINABALU: David McCreery wants his charges to keep working hard and fight for their lives in the Premier League challenge 2013. The Sabahawks head coach said it is still too early to make any verdict on his young side, insisting that as long as the team continue or rather are willing to work hard, they will do okay this season.

 “This is a brand new team and we have yet to really gel well together,” said McCreery when contacted yesterday. “But for now, it is important for us to keep working hard and try to improve on every aspect of our game. “If we can do that, I’m quite optimistic we will get desirable results in our upcoming matches,” McCreery added.

 “It is also important for us to keep the spirit high in the team, and on the part of the players, they must not feel dejected for whatever consequences the team are facing now. “It is only two games into the season, and they must keep trying and fighting. “They must understand that this whole new team and they must put extra effort in getting the team to gel well together.

Sabahawks need to plug leaky defence

http://www.sports247.my

 SABAH’S leaky defence is a cause for concern as the side were defeated in the Premier League yesterday, going down 1-3 to Sime Darby. The Sabahawks, coached by David McCreery, had gone ahead after a headed goal from foreign striker Koh Traore in the 15th minutes but Fahrul Razi Kamaruddin equalised in the first half injury time.

 Croatian forward Karlo Primorac made it 2-1 after 57 minutes before Zamri Chin’s deflected shot 10 minutes later cemented victory at the MPS Stadium in Selangor. Team manager Alijus Sipil said the third goal was unfortunate but not the previous two. “Poor defending and lapse of concentration led to the equaliser and then (Sime Darby’s) second … it cost us the game,” said Alijus.

 The defeat left Sabah eighth in the 12-team standing on three points but they will look to bounce back when they take on winless NS Betaria FC at Likas Stadium on Monday. Meanwhile, Rhys David Weston will not be available for another week due to a hamstring injury suffered in the 2-1 win over SPA Putrajaya last week. Rhys was signed to plug the gap left by the experienced Mohd Reithuddin Emran and Mafry Balang, both of whom were dropped for the 2013 season.

A tough assignment

Daily Express

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah need to play better against Sime Darby in their second game of the 2013 FAM Premier League season at the Selayang Stadium today (Friday) at 4.45pm. The players know that they have to raise their game after the unimpressive win in their opening match over KL SPA Putrajaya FC at home.

 It won't be an easy match as their opponents are one of the favourites in the league this season and they were knocked out by the same team in the first round of the FA Cup competition last season. Furthermore, the home team only managed a goalless draw against Johor in their first match and they will definitely try their best to get a win in front of their own fans.

 Sabah on the other hand, will have to make do without the commanding presence of Rhys Davis Weston who suffered a hamstring injury and did not travel with the team on Thursday. His place will be taken by former T-Team player Shahril Faizal Ahmad Shariffuddin who luckily did an admirable job coming on as a substitute for Rhys on Monday.

Sabahawks target second consecutive win

New Sabah Times

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabahawks take on the road for the first time this new season hoping to keep their winning momentum going. They face one of the pre-tournament favourites, KL Sime Darby FC at the Selayang Municipal Council Stadium in an afternoon showdown today. Despite struggling to a 2-1 opening home victory over KL SPA Putrajaya FC on Monday, the team spirit is pretty high.

 And David McCreery remains upbeat of another positive result. The Sabahawks head coach said they will be looking for nothing other than to return home smiling. “We are going there to try to get a good result,” said McCreery when contacted yesterday. But McCreery will have to do without his defender Rhys David Weston due to injury.

 “I’m bringing in Shahril (Faizal) for Rhys. He did well when he replaced Rhys the other day, and I believe that we still look strong at the back. McCreery said Rhys is expected to be out of action for at least two weeks. “At first I thought he was having a problem with his ankle, but it has been confirmed as a hamstring injury. Sometimes a player recovers quicker and I think he (Rhys) will be out for two weeks.

K'gau fans in for a treat

Daily Express

Keningau: Local football fans here are urged to come and watch the friendly match between Cebagoo FC and MU Keningau at the Keningau Sports Complex on Jan 12 at 7pm. Team Manager of MU Keningau, Rakmadin Mohd Yassin said the admission is free.

 "We are excited about this match and I am sure that football fans across Keningau will be too, considering that Cebagoo FC is a promising team that is headed by Sabah Umno Youth Assistant Chief, Mohd Joh Hj Wid as President. "As many would have known by now, Cebagoo FC consists of mainly ex-Sabah players and is coached by two of former Sabah greats, Razali Zinin and Jelius Ating, while the Team Manager is, Ishak Datuk Ayub," he said.

 Towards that end, Rakmadin said the match would also give opportunity for fans in Keningau to witness the capabilities of the two teams especially, Cebagoo FC who is the State representative in the coming FAM League and he is delighted that Cebagoo FC has chosen Keningau as one of their pre-season training match.

President’s Cuppers ready for new season

New Sabah Times

KOTA KINABALU: The State President’s Cup squad’s preparations for the new season are shaping up well. Things have been going on as planned and head coach Justin Ganai is convinced his side will be ready when the league kicks off, expected to be this month end. He said they have been going through their paces since training started slightly over a month now to ensure they are fit and ready for the new challenge.

 “Preparations are going really well for us at the moment. The players’ fitness is improving, and I’m happy with their attitude and it seems everyone is working hard to make the squad stronger. “I can see a good sense of discipline in all the players, they follow instructions very well and I think we have a really good squad this season.

 Justin said during their weeks of training they have played eight friendly matches, including against the State senior squad. “We want to play as many matches as possible before the season starts and so far we won four out of eight games. The team drew against the senior squad yesterday (Tuesday), which is an improvement considering they have lost the previous two encounters.

Room for improvement aplenty

New Sabah Times

KOTA KINABALU: Alijus Hj Sipil insists they will take one game at a time as deep inside he knows too well that a lot still needs to be done on the Sabahawks if they harbour any hope to challenge for the Premier League crown. The interim team manager admits room for improvements are aplenty.

 Speaking to reporters after seeing his side struggle to a 2-1 victory over KL SPA Putrajaya in the opener at the Likas Stadium on Monday, Alijus, who is also the Sabah FA Secretary General, said the team’s weaknesses exposed in the game must be rectified, and the sooner the better. But for now, he added what mattered most is they have managed to kick start their campaign on the right footing, and the three points. 

“What is important is to have a good start to our campaign even though it was a difficult attempt. “This was our first game, but as I have said from the beginning, we will take one game at a time and learn and try to improve from game to game. “Yes, there are many areas that need to be improved. Among the obvious one is the fitness level of the players. But I believe this can be improved.

Sabah start with a win

Daily Express

Kota Kinabalu: Two goals from right back Shahrul Azhar Ture in either half guided Sabah to a 2-1 win over KL Spa Putrajaya in their opening 2013 Premier League match at the Likas Stadium on Monday afternoon. It was a poor show by the home team as they were outplayed by their young opponents with no imports in the team.

 They were lucky to escape embarrassment and had to thank their new custodian Shahril Sa'ari who produced a sterling performance to save the day for Sabah. Sabah opened the scoring first in the 5th minute courtesy of a free-kick just outside the box which was converted by Shahrul after he shot through the defensive wall.

 The goal however, failed to calm the side as KL Spa started to make their presence felt soon after that and had the Sabah defence working overtime trying to cover for the ineffective midfield. And it was in one of their raids that resulted in an own goal by Rhys David Weston in the 28th minute after a communication breakdown between him and keeper Shahril.

Lucky escape!

New Sabah Times

FIRST MATCH … Sabahawks (blue/red) and KL SPA Putrajaya FC players in the thick of action during their Premier League clash at the Likas Stadium.

KOTA KINABALU: Sabahawks kicked off their Premier League challenge on the right footing after they escaped with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over new kids on the block KL SPA Putrajaya FC at the Likas Stadium yesterday. Despite being in the business for ages where they should be miles ahead of their rather raw opponents, but things turned out to be otherwise for the hosts as they were forced to struggle all the way until the final whistle.

 In fact, the match could have gone either way, and the visitors must be cursing their luck or rather the incompetency of the match officials that denied them from nicking at least a draw or even a surprise victory. They had at least two genuine penalty calls that were not given, compared to two awarded to Sabahawks, with one going in and the other missing the target.

 When approached after the match, Sabahawks head coach David McCreery admitted it was not the kind of show he had expected from his boys. While happy with the three points, McCreery, who watched the tie from the fans stand, could not hide his disappointment, as the Sabahawks looked lost and hapless at times without direction.

Shahrul rescues Sabah

http://www.sports247.my

SHARUL AZHAR TURE (picture) turned saviour with two goals to help a lacklustre Sabah side to a 2-1 Premier League win over Putrajaya SPA FC at the Likas Stadium today. The pacey winger scored the first from a free kick after five minutes but an own goal from debutant Rhys David Weston saw SPA levelled after 28 minutes.

 Sabah were awarded the first of two penalties 10 minutes later but Sharuddin Yakup saw his weak attempt saved by Muhamad Nuraizat Abd Aziz. There were little goalmouth actions after that before Sharul showed his prowess in dead ball situation by netting the winner from a penalty kick in the 71st minute. Coach David McCreery was glad with the three points but was far from satisfied from his players.

 McCreery was clearly annoyed with their failure to send crosses into the box despite having focussed on it in training. “I am disappointed. We led and even missed a penalty early on. “We should have scored more goals. “Overall, I’m disappointed but happy to have won three points,” said the coach. Less than 1,000 fans turned up in the evening match as the 30,000-seater Likas Stadium was not fit to hold matches at night at the moment.

Mohd Joh: Give your fullest support to Sabahawks

New Sabah Times

KOTA KINABALU: Mohd Joh Hj Wid has called on his fellow fans to come together and give their fullest support to the Sabahawks in their 2013 Premier League challenge. The Sabahawks Fan Club President insisted that with undivided support from all parties concerned, the fans as well as from the team management, it is not impossible for the new-look State side to do well on all fronts – the FA Cup, Premier League and the Malaysia Cup – this new season.

 He said the Sabah Football Association has taken drastic action by revamping the squad, dropping more than half of the squad from last season, in a bid to form a formidable side. “The Sabah FA has done their part and has made a brave move in releasing some key players from last year’s squad and bringing in new blood into the team.

 “It was not an easy decision on the part of the FA, but like anyone out there, the only reason they have taken a drastic step was nothing more than wanting to see the State team do well in the M-League. “It is my hope to see that the gamble the FA has taken will bear fruit on the last day of the Premier League 2013.

It’s Likas!

New Sabah Times

WHAT A RELIEF … From left, Mark, Andrew, Alijus, McCreery, Yahya and Johnny sharing a light moment during the photo session yesterday.

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabahawks are all cleared to play at their home den – the Likas Stadium. Sabah FA Secretary General Alijus Hj Sipil said the stadium is now good to stage the State side’s Premier League opener against new kids on the block KL SPA Putrajaya FC tomorrow (Monday – kick off time is at 4.15pm).

 “I’m pretty pleased with the latest development, and I would like to thank the management of the stadium for their swift action. “The last time we did the inspection (on the stadium) all the machinery as well as equipment was still on the track, and this could endanger the players during a match. “However, this has been removed by the contractors, who are currently doing renovation works at the stadium.

 “With the current state (of the stadium), we are confident the match (against KL SPA) will go on as scheduled,” said Alijus. Alijus, who is also the interim team manager, said this when met at the team’s photo session in Likas yesterday. On another development, Alijus said that the price of the tickets for Sabahawks home matches will remain the same – RM20 for covered grandstand and RM10 for open terrace.

Sabahawks in for tough time

http://www.sports247.my

 A TOUGH season beckons the Sabahawks as they kick off their Premier League campaign at Likas Stadium in Kota Kinabalu on Monday afternoon. The team under David McCreery lacked high quality pre-season matches but physically and mentally, his charges appear ready for the new season.

 McCreery had worked his players from November after their season ended early in the Super League and being relegated to the Premier League. The opener will see the team, which will have the services of former Welsh international Rhys David Weston in defence and Koh Traore from Burkina Faso upfront, taking on newcomer KL Spa Putrajaya FC.

 McCreery had hoped for more friendlies abroad but their plans to play in the Philippines and Hong Kong did not materialise. Sabahawks had instead played two matches in Kuala Lumpur, losing to Selangor and the Police. Locally the team played nine friendlies in a road tour across the state.