Cebagoo humiliated, suffer heaviest defeat

New Sabah Times

BAD PATCH … Rainol Masaat of Sabah Cebagoo FC (front) challenges a Penang player during the FAM Cup tie at the Penampang Stadium yesterday.

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Cebagoo FC ended their FAM Cup home challenge with a 1-7 drubbing by newly crowned Penang at the Penampang Stadium yesterday. This was their heaviest home defeat all season as they were taught a footballing lesson by the visitors, who were a class above the State’s sole representative in the League.

 Despite having a bright start to the game when Arif Awang drew first blood as early as the sixth minute, it was Penang which showed why they are the deserved FAM Cup 2013 champs. Playing in unfamiliar territory having had to switch their home venue from UMS Stadium to the Penampang Stadium that have just undergone a facelift, Cebagoo FC seemed to be running out of steam a little too early.

 And just when Penang started to settle down, they finally found the equaliser at the half hour mark through an effort from Syahwan. Then Norizam stunned hundreds of the home crowd when he put Penang in the lead in the 43rd minute before the Penang captain added his second on the stroke of half time to make it 3-1 for the visitors at the end of the opening half.

 After the break, Penang extended their lead through Mohamad Basher’s 58th minute effort before Khairan put the game beyond Cebagoo FC reach when blasting home Penang’s fifth in the 66th minute before Syahwan scored his second of the day four minutes later.

 But it did not stop there as Norizam completed his hat-trick after nodding home in the 76th minute. Cebagoo FC will conclude their challenge and away tie to Tumpat FA of Kelantan on June 30.