New Sabah Times
KOTA KINABALU: There will be nothing more than pride to fight for as Sabahawks take on lowly UiTM FC in a Premier League match at the Likas Stadium today.
The match kicks off at 4.15pm.
With Super League promotion already out of reach, the only thing left for the State senior squad is to fight for pride as well as a place in the Malaysia Cup.
Only the top four in the Premier League will gain automatic entry into the country’s most oldest and prestigious competition while the fifth and sixth will be involved in a playoff with two teams from the Super League.
The 2-3 defeat to Kedah last Friday has left David McCreery and his boys with an uphill task of gaining automatic qualification.
Sabahawks are currently sixth in the 12-team standings, which is the last slot for the Malaysia Cup playoff, with 21 points.
Kedah occupy fourth spot on 27 points and with a game in hand.
Police, fifth are on 24 points, also played a match less than Sabahawks.
Sabahawks will have almost all of its top players available for the clash, including its new foreign signing Abdelfatah Safi, who scored Sabahawks second goal against Kedah. Striker-in-chief, Koh Traore, will also be around, and will be hoping to increase his goal tally, after netting 16 thus far into the season, to eventually make him the team’s top scorer.
The only player doubtful for the clash is the veteran striker Zainizam Marjan, who limped out with a troubled knee, against Kedah.
Sarawak now occupy top spot following their 1-0 victory in Kuching over previous leader KL Sime Darby FC on Friday.
They lead the pack on 40 points while KL Sime Darby FC in second on 39 while Johor in third on 32.
UiTM FC is in 10th on 13 points. Last Friday, they held Johor to a two-all draw at home.
