By FRANCIS XAVIER Francis@newsabahtimes.com.my
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s representatives in the FAM Cup League, DYS FC and KDMM FC, will not be meeting each other in the early stage of the competition after being drawn in different groups.
The draw that was conducted in the national capital on Sunday, saw DYS FC being drawn in Group A while KDMM FC in Group B.
Among the two Sabah representatives, who will be making their debut in the country’s third tier competition,
KDMM FC seem to have a good draw having only three seasoned campaigners in the 10-team Group B.
The three are UKM FC, Terengganu’s Hanelang FC and MOF (Ministry of Finance Football Club).
The rest of the teams in the group are all newcomers namely Perak PKNP FC, Melaka SAMB FC, Kelantan MPKB-BRI U-BES FC and Persatuan Bolasepak Melayu Malaysia (PBMM).
Unlike KDMM FC, DYS FC are not so lucky as they are the only new faces in the group.
The rest in the Group A are all seasoned campaigners such as MISC-MIFA, Persatuan Bolasepak Ipoh (Ipoh FC), Selangor’s Megah Murni FC, AirAsia Allstars FC, Sungai Ara FC (Kedah), KL Felcra FC, Pahang’s Shahzan Muda FC and Negeri Sembilan Penjara FC.
The FAM Cup is scheduled to kick off on February 28.
Meanwhile, in the President’s Cup challenge, Sabah have been drawn in Group B alongside Penang, Selangor, PDRM, Kuala Lumpur, Pahang, T-Team, Melaka, Selangor PKNS and Perak.
Group A is made up of Kelantan, Terengganu, Johor Darul Ta’zim III, UiTM FC, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah, ATM, Perlis, Sarawak and Felda United FC.
The President’s Cup is expected to kick off on March 3.
In the Youth Cup, the State Under-19 squad is also drawn in Group A. They have Sarawak, Perak, Perlis, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Penang, Kedah and Sekolah Sukan Malaysia Pahang (SSMP) Under-17 team for company.
Group B is made up of Melaka, Felda United FC, ATM, Kelantan, Bukit Jalil Sports School (Under-17), Terengganu, MISC-MIFA, Kuala Lumpur, Johor Darul Ta’zim IV and Sekolah Sukan Malaysia Pahang (SSMP) Under-16 team.
The Youth Cup challenge will kick off on February 28.
The three leagues are played on the same format where the top four teams in each group will make it into the quarter-finals where it will be played on a knockout system over two legs.
The finals will also be played over two legs.
