Tambadaus will only get better

Daily Express

By: GL Oh

KOTA KINABALU: Team manager Henry Saimpon (pic) believes Sabah Tambadaus will perform even better when the second round of the Premier League resumes this week. The team finished third in the table standing behind JDT II (24)and UiTM (20) with 18 points from five wins, three draws and two defeats in the just concluded opening round.

“With the amount of effort and input from the coaching staff headed by Jelius Ating and also by the others to improve the performance of the team, I am confident the players will play even better in the second rounds. “Despite some obstacles, we should be proud of the team’s first round performance which has put us on the right platform to achieve our target of winning promotion at the end of the season,” he said on Monday.

 The team’s pre-season was hit by several issues and the preparation was only able to start at end of last year. “Our preparation this season started rather late and only began after the new management team came in late last year. “There were several issues including the lack of understanding at the beginning, which we managed to settle one at a time, and with all those finally behind us now, I believe the team can be improved further.”

Tambadau will be stronger in second round - Henry

New Sabah Times

By FRANCIS XAVIER

 KOTA KINABALU: Team manager Henry Saimpon is confident Tambadau will mount a stronger challenge in the second round of the Premier League that kicks off this Saturday. “The boys have worked hard in training to improve the team and the coaching staff led by head coach Jelius Ating have done a good job and I’m confident we will put up a better show in the second half of the season,” said Henry yesterday.

 “We are quite happy with what the team have achieved in the first round. When we look at the standings, I think we are pretty much on the right track in our quest for Super League promotion. “Furthermore, the first round campaign has given us a good lesson in certain areas that we need to improve,” said Henry, while hinting that they are likely to bring in new faces to beef up the squad during the upcoming transfer window that opens on May 2 to 29.

 “We will continue to try to strengthen the team from time to time. For us, it is a continuous process (strengthening the squad). So whatever decision we are going to make, it will be for the team’s development. He said losing influential midfielder Sabri Sahar to long-term injury as well as Maxsius Musa, who is still in the crock list, also due to injury, are among the reasons why they must consider hiring new faces.

Under-19 squad record second consecutive victory

New Sabah Times

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Under-19 team managed a 1-0 victory over Pahang during their Youth Cup Group B encounter at the Indera Mahkota UIA Stadium in Kuantan, on Sunday. The state’s youngest football squad registered their second consecutive win after previously trashing Penang, 7-1 at home a week ago.

 The match yesterday tested Sabah’s determination where the home side almost scored midway through the match but their spot kick was saved by Sabah’s goalkeeper. Johan Mansur scored the match winner in the 88th minute after a quick counter attack, to secure Sabah all three points. Head coach Billyton Vun Kit Ming was pleased with his players’ performance and applauded their determination to win a close match which could have ended both ways.

 “The players deserved the win after playing fair and square against Pahang in one of the closest games we have had so far this season. “Our training routines of speed and endurance are showing positive results as the players able to maintain strong endurance level before displaying a quick counter attack to score the winner late on.

Justin wants team to bag full points

New Sabah Times

By FRANCIS XAVIER

 KOTA KINABALU: Tambadau Juniors could be without their head coach Justin Ganai when they take on Selangor United FC in a President’s Cup Group A challenge at the Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi Stadium today. The veteran Justin was not part of the travelling squad yesterday as he sought medical attention for high blood pressure. However, the evergreen Justin is in stable condition and just needs a good rest.

When contacted, Justin said he is still unsure whether he will be around for the match. “My flight was supposed to be at noon today (yesterday), but I could not make it because I was still in hospital undergoing treatment. There is nothing serious and the doctor just advised me to take a good rest. Now I’m at home resting,” said Justin. “But if I’m okay tomorrow (today) and there is seat available, I might be going to be with the team.

There is no problem of me going because I already and still have my return ticket …but for now, I’m still uncertain,” he added. Justin said with or without him, he wants to see the team go all out and get full points. “It is important for us to maintain our winning momentum. When we look at the standings, things are pretty much close among all the teams, except for Selangor, who are quite comfortable at the top of the standings.

Billyton hopes boys will end first round on winning note

Daily Express

By: GL Oh

KOTA KINABALU: Billyton Vun hopes his boys will end the first round of the Youth Cup competition on a winning note against Pahang in their Group B tie at Stadium UIA Indera Mahkota, this afternoon (Sunday). The coach said the players must keep up their momentum after thrashing Penang 7-1 at Penampang Stadium last Sunday, the second win for the team this season . “We will definitely be targeting three points, especially after getting a victory against Penang in our last match following the team’s seven consecutive defeat.

 “It was a major boost for the players’ moral and I want them to keep their winning momentum before we finish the first round,” he said, Friday. He added that the training session still focussed fully on improving the players’ speed and endurance which has been the main weakness. “We are still working hard to improve the players speed and endurance because when I looked back at all our matches, we always conceded easily and sometimes three goals within five minutes.

 This is obviously a lack of concentration caused by weak endurance.” He also said with the suspension of Fakrul Ideris in defence, more drills have been carried out in the past one week on the back. “We have to drill our defence more due to the suspension of Faqrul (Idris) because I want to see all four players at the back have the same chemistry to work together.

KB capture Allianz title

Daily Express

By: GL Oh

 KOTA KINABALU: Safa Kota Belud captured the Allianz Junior Football Camp (AJFC) Malaysia League 2019 Sabah title after they edged Karamunich Junior 1-0 in the final played at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Stadium, Saturday. They took home RM3,500 cash plus trophy and medals while the losing finalist received RM2,000 cash plus medals. Third place went to Sipitang Star who defeated last year’s champion, JJ FC Tenom to collect RM1,000 cash plus medals, and RM500 cash plus medals for JJ FC players.

Meanwhile, the League’s Best Player and Best Goalkeeper awards went to Kota Belud’s Mohd Aiddil Azmir Bakri and Freal Rejuel Domuni respectively. Muhd Adzrie Idzlean Syak of Karamunich Junior was named the best player in the final and top scorer award went to Jeremy Jerom Juikul with 12 goals, while Safa Penampang received the Fair Play trophy.

Kota Belud’s head coach, Rumzi Ramlee @ Romzi gave credit to his players for implementing the right strategy that limited their opponents’ scoring chances. Team manager, Budi Rekain on the other hand, expressed his gratitude to all the support given by team officials and the parents, and he also praised the players’ fighting spirit. He called on his players who are selected to represent Sabah in the Grand Finals to be held at National University of Malaysia (UKM) in Bangi, Selangor on July 4 to maintain their discipline both on and off the pitch.

Sabah President Cup squad win 2-0

Daily Express

By: GL Oh

KOTA KINABALU: The State President Cup squad bounced back from their 2-4 heavy defeat at JDT IV last week to beat PJ City FC 2-0 in the group A President Cup competition at Likas Stadium Monday afternoon. Assistant coach Johnny Dominicus was put in charge of the team with the absence of Justin Ganai who was rested following the accidental clash of head with Kevin Pengiran during training on Sunday.

The players who managed a draw with table topper Selangor in their last home match again showed that they can play well in front of the home fans as they took an early lead in the 12th minutes with a strike by captain Aidil Safee following a goal mouth melee. However, the defence who let in six goals in the last two games was still a bit shaky.

 They almost conceded an equaliser in the first half as they were caught by their offside trap and luckily the PJ City player blasted the ball high instead. It was an even match for both teams but the players were unable to penetrate each other’s defence until Ariusdiua Jais was fouled inside the box and Zulkifly Harun made no mistake from the spot to put Sabah 2-0 up in the 70th minutes until the final whistle.

Juniors deliver full points

New Sabah Times

By FRANCIS XAVIER

 KOTA KINABALU: Despite playing without their head coach Justin Ganai on the sideline, Tambadau Juniors put up a convincing show as they blanked PJ City FC 2-0 in a President’s Cup tie at the Likas Stadium yesterday. Justin could not make it to the match after being hospitalised late Sunday.

He collapsed after clashing with a player during a training drill on the eve of the tie. However, it is believed that he is in stable condition but being held back at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital II for further observation. But with or without Justin, Tambadau Juniors meant business as they humbled their visiting opponents, who had gone into the tie sitting second in the 10-team Group A standings. Captain Mohd Aidil Safee and flanker Zulkifly Harun struck a goal each in either side of the tie to see Tambadau Juniors made a quick rebound from their 2-4 away defeat to Johor Darul Ta’zim III last week.

 Defender Gerard Gadit could have put the hosts into the lead inside the first nine minutes of the tie, but only to see his point-blank header from six yards out sail above the crossbar. It started from a corner kick taken by Ariusdius Jais where the ball found the former national Under-19 player left unmarked, unfortunately, he squandered the golden opportunity.

Juniors romp to 7-1 win

Daily Express

By: GL Oh

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Under-19 squad produced their best attacking play yet to thrash Penang 7-1 in the Group B Youth Cup tie at Penampang Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The team, who were the group whipping boys before the match with 21 goals conceded and only six goals scored from eight matches played, finally came good with Sharizan Saidin opening the scoring in the 27th minute followed by Ahmad Irwanto Rusli’s strike in the 40th minute to take a 2-0 lead at half time.

The visitors, who had thrashed Perak 4-1 in the previous game, found themselves in the receiving end as Billyton Vun’s boys scored almost at will in the second half. Hizaz Lokman extended the team’s lead in the 52nd minute but it was immediately cancelled out by Daniel Irfan Mohd Nadzri three minutes later. However, within two minutes Hizaz struck again to regain the three-goal advantage before Rozacklye Yanam made it 5-1 in the 61st minute.

Nasip Mohd Zain then added another two in the 64th and 72nd minutes to register Sabah biggest win in the competition to date. Coach Billyton, who saw his team struggle to score goals since the start of the season, was overjoyed with the boys. “I am very happy with the team today. This week we worked a lot on the team’s speed endurance and also drilled on their transition from defending to attacking.

Result showed hard work really pays off: Jelius

Daily Express

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah head coach Jelius Ating (pic) said all the hard work has paid off for Sabah Tambadaus as they comfortably beat UKM 3-1 in the final match of the first round Premier League tie at Likas Stadium on Saturday. He praised the players for their efforts put in training that they were able to reproduce in the match against UKM.

“The players have been training very hard in every training session and they proved that hard work do pay off as the result clearly showed. “The performance from the players in the match was very good as it was not an easy game for the team. I am very happy with the win because UKM are a very good team.

 “They managed to draw level after we had taken a one-goal lead and under normal circumstances, the confidence of the players may have crumbled as a result, but as I said earlier, the hard work put in by the players indicated that they had the belief and it was the main factor that we won the match tonight,” he said after the match on Saturday.

U-19 squad ends winless streak

New Sabah Times

By UMESH RAJAN

FINALLY … Sabah Under-19 players and officials celebrate after ending their six-match losing streak.

 KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Under-19 ended their winless streak when a superb second half performance gave them a 7 – 1 win over Penang in a goal-fest Youth Cup encounter at Penampang Stadium, near here on Sunday. The home side started the match sitting bottom of Group B with only three points collected from eight matches so far while Penang was third from bottom on seven points. Sabah controlled the match as soon as the ref blew for kick off, but they needed to wait at least 27 minutes for the opening goal, courtesy of Mohamad Sahrizan Saidin.

 They then doubled their lead five minutes before the break when Ahmad Irwanto Rusli finishing a good team play secured a comfortable lead. Sabah continued their newly discovered ruthless attacking prowess by adding a third goal in the 52nd minute when Mohd Hizaz Mohd Lokman put the ball behind the net.

 Penang managed to pull one goal back in the 55th minute through Mohd Daniel Irfan Mohd Nadzri but the host restored their three-goal advantage as Hizaz netted his second of the match to open the floodgates four minutes later. Rozacklye Yanam pounced home the fifth goal in the 61st minute to put the host in cruising mode but another brace by Mohd Nasip Mohammad Zain in the 64th and 77th minutes gave Sabah their second victory of the season.

Players showed strong character, attitude – Jelius

New Sabah Times

By FRANCIS XAVIER

JELIUS

 KOTA KINABALU: Tambadau concluded their Premier League first-round campaign putting themselves pretty much on the right track in their quest for Super League promotion. In fact, they put up a much-improved show compared to what they had achieved at the same stage last time out. Head coach Jelius Ating agreed to the fact that his side has achieved a slightly better record than last year. However, he insisted that they need to show more consistency in the second round if they harbour hopes of realising their Super League promotion target.

 For the record, Tambadau is the only team to have completed all their 10 first round fixtures. They trounced UKM FC 3-1 in their last first-round fixture at the Likas Stadium on Saturday. With the win, they concluded their first-round campaign recording five wins, three draws and two defeats while last year they registered three wins, five draws and two defeats. The victory also assured them of a top three finish when the opening half of the 11-team league concludes next week.

 The improved record has Jelius believing in their ability to go far in the competition. “Overall, I’m happy with our first round performance. Obviously, there were inconsistencies, but in some games, we did well. We only suffered two defeats while we won five and drew three in the remaining matches. “We have 18 points from the first round and it was already an improvement from what we achieved at the same stage last year.

LDEO lift Sabah Cup crown

New Sabah Times

KOTA KINABALU: LDEO FC championed the Rakan Kembara Sabah Cup Football Tournament held at the Lahad Datu Marin Complex football field, yesterday. They defeated Bid’s FC in the final match to lift the cup while the latter settled for second place whereas Sejati FC finished third place for the tournament.

 A total of 32 teams participated in the tournament which also saw TRF FC and MU Legend FC lifted the Community Shield category. The opening ceremony was officiated by Lahad Datu Assistant Police Commissioner, ACP Nasri Mansor. Meanwhile Rakan Kembara Sabah Chairman, Mizma Appehdullah encourages youths to make changes in a productive and constructive way for the better future of the country.

 “Youths are advised to continue actively in any sports associations to strengthen their identity and gain a broader experience of leadership through being active in an organisation. “Such efforts should be emphasised continuously to ensure that the youth can benefit from the associations they are involved with,” she continues. – By UMESH RAJAN

Convincing 3-1 win for Tambadaus

Daily Express

By: GL Oh

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Tambadaus ended their first round campaign in the Premier League with a winning note after a convincing 3-1 victory over UKM FC at Likas Stadium, Saturday. Sabah players, who received an ultimatum from Sabah Football Association Acting President, Datuk Peter Anthony, earlier this week following their recent poor forms, started the match in attacking mood and had first shot at goal from Rodoljub Paunovic inside the opening minute that was saved by Khatul Annuar Jalil on the line.

They had another chance when Korean import Park Taesu saw his header missed the crossbar by inches before Alto Linus’s opener in the 20th minute. Alto, who played on the left flank, started the move when he laid the ball for Rodoljub before running into the box to head in the cross from the Serbian who did a good job by beating two UKM players before making the decisive cross. With their dominance in the opening half, the home players seemed to lose focus in the latter stage that allowed UKM to snatch the equaliser in the 42nd minute.

 Hafizi Amiruddin took advantage of a loose ball which the Sabah players failed to clear to shoot past the unsighted Rozaimie Rohim at the bottom corner. It was a blow to Sabah but they got a lucky break within three minutes after Khatul made a blunder, allowing a harmless ball bounced over his head and into the net. It started seconds earlier with a free kick taken by Luiz Carlos Junior that hit the defensive wall, and the ball fell to Dendy at the halfway line who then delivered a long cross into the box that Khatul completely misjudged.

Peter warns of drastic measures

Daily Express

By: GL Oh

KOTA KINABALU: Drastic action will be taken if Sabah Tambadaus fail to beat UKM FC in the Premier League match at the Likas Stadium this Saturday (April 20). Sabah Football Association (Safa) acting President Datuk Peter Anthony (pic) issued the warning on Tuesday following the team’s insipid performance in the last three matches, where they only managed a draw with UiTM and lost the other two including the FA Cup loss to third tier team Kelantan United.

 “The match with UKM FC this Saturday, which is our final first round match will be the last chance for the players to show their capabilities. “If they still are unable to deliver a win, then we will not hesitate to take drastic measures including to axe players who failed to produce performance that are expected of them.”

 He said with the open transfer window set to take place next month, there is a chance for them to revamp the team. “We have the opportunity to reconstruct the team as the transfer window will open from May 2-29. “The team are still on track to achieve our main target in getting promotion to the Super League next season.

No-nonsense Peter issues an ultimatum

New Sabah Times

By FRANCIS XAVIER

Peter

 KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Peter Anthony has issued an ultimatum to his Tambadau squad as he demands the team to get back to winning ways. The no-nonsense Peter said it must start when they play their last first-round challenge against UKM FC at the Likas Stadium, this Saturday. The Sabah Football Association (Safa) acting president did not mince his words when he said he will not hesitate to take action against any shirkers in the squad.

 Peter came with the warning in the wake of the team’s poor run in their last three fixtures where they were ousted by an amateur side Kelantan United FC in the second round of the FA Cup after going down 1-0 followed by the 1-2 away defeat to Selangor United FC in the Premier League challenge. They then played to a one-all draw against UiTM FC in their last fixture at Likas Stadium.

 “If the team fails to get full points this Saturday, we will not hesitate to take action, including axing those players who failed to live up to expectations. “We will have the opportunity to strengthen the team when the mid-season transfer windows open on May 2 to 29 and believe me we will make full use of the transfer windows to reinforce the team.

Sabah Prisons beat arch-rivals to reclaim title

Daily Express

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Prisons team beat arch-rivals Kajang (Selangor A) 2-0 in the final to reclaim their title at the 36th Tan Sri Murad Ahmad National Prison Football Tournament in Penang on Sunday. The two teams had monopolised the finals for the previous two years with Kajang victorious in last year’s encounter, while Sabah won the cup a year earlier. It was another classic match on Sunday with both teams unable to find the net in the opening 45 minutes.

The breakthrough only came when Sabah’s Jasmit Ahmad scored within two minutes after the restart and with the Kajang players still in a state of shock, Celectinus Doos added a second two minutes later to extend the lead and the score remained until the final whistle. Sabah’s players also won two individual awards with Helmi @ Boy Justin being judged the best player of the tournament and Celestinus Doos as top scorer with seven goals.

Earlier, Sabah booked their place in the final with a 3-0 win over Sungai Buloh (Selangor B) while Kajang beat Negeri Sembilan 2-0 in the other semi final. Team manager Jorennedy Sylvester was happy the team managed to avenge their loss last year, and praised the players and the coaches for their achievement.

Sweet revenge for Sabah Prisons over Kajang

New Sabah Times

By FRANCIS XAVIER

 KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Prisons Department gained sweet revenge over defending champion Kajang Prisons as they emerged as the champion in the 36th Tan Sri Murad Ahmad National Prison Football Tournament that ended in Penang over the weekend. It was Kajang Prisons that denied them winning the championship for the two consecutive years last time out, having had won it in 2017 after losing 1-2.

 But this time around, Sabah Prisons Department turned the table on their opponent through two second-half goals from Jasmit Ahmad and Celestinus Doos. Jasmit netted the opener two minutes after the break before Celestinus added the second in the 49th minute. Enroute to the final, Sabah Prisons Department, coached by Roslan Wasli and assisted by Agustin Paga, trounced Sungai Buloh Prisons 3-0 in the semi-finals while Kajang Prisons defeated Negeri Sembilan 2-0.

 Sabah Prisons Department team manager PP Jorennedy Sylvester congratulated his team for a job well done. He said they have done well to avenge their defeat to Kajang Prisons in last year’s final. On behalf of the team, he also expressed his sincere thanks to Sabah Prisons Director Haji Suria Idris and the rest for their support towards the team.

JDT III end Tambadau Junior’s unbeaten run

New Sabah Times

By FRANCIS XAVIER

KOTA KINABALU: Johor Darul Ta’zim III ended Tambadau Junior’s four-match unbeaten run in a six-goal thriller at the Pasir Gudang Municipal Council Stadium yesterday. The President’s Cup Group A tie saw the Justin Ganai-coached side trailing 2-1 at half time before eventually conceding a 4-2 defeat to their southern state team. JDT III were leading 2-0 a courtesy of goals from Muhammad Feroz Baharudin in the 18th minute and Muhammad Najmuddin Samat in the 31st minute.

 Tambadau Junior captain Mohd Aidil Safee put his side back in the game when he struck their first at the 40th minute mark as the opening half ended 2-1. When the second half resumed, JDT III upped their tempo and managed to extend their lead through striker Muhammad Amirul Husaini Zamri 63 minute effort. Captain Muhammad Izzafiq Ruzi then added a fourth in the 85th minute to make the points safe for JDT III.

Tambadau Junior added their second through flanker Zulkifly Harun, who scored in injury time. Sabah remained on eight points after completing seven matches in Group A, where they registered two wins, two draws and three losses. However, the defeat coupled with Penang winning 1-0 against Selangor United saw Sabah dropped one rung to eighth in the 10-team table. JDT III, on the other hand, moved to third on 13 points replacing UiTM FC who lost 1-4 to Pahang.

Players must up their game to go further, says Justin

Daily Express

KOTA KINABALU: Justin Ganai (pic) hopes his players will raise their game further when they take on JDT III in the Group A President Cup competition at Pasir Gudang Municipal Council Stadium this afternoon (Monday). The team played well in their two-all draw with leaders Selangor on Thursday at the Likas Stadium but the head coach said the players must improve if they hope to go beyond the group stage.

“The team although progressing well, still have room for improvement especially on the finishing. “We must continue to work hard and improve our game because the league is not going to get easier, and if the players continue to strive harder, I believe that there is more to come from them. “If the players can put up the same kind of performance and spirit like they did against Selangor then I am confident we will return home with three points or one point the very least from Johor,” he added.

Meanwhile, Justin may replace injured striker Faizulnizam Aziz with Muhammad Faqhrurazi Ahmad, and defender Kelvin Pengiran for the suspended Mohd Izzat Aziz while the rest will be the same players who started the Selangor match. Joslan Aping will be in goal, Gerald Gadit and Mohd Azmizan Ruslih on right and left back respectively with Kelvin and Abdul Hanafie Tokyo Abdul Hasim in the centre.

Coach laments poor finishing

Daily Express

By: GL Oh

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah head coach Jelius Ating (pic) blamed poor finishing for Sabah’s failure to take all three points in the match against UiTM at Likas Stadium on Saturday night. Despite created many scoring opportunities, the team only managed to find the net once through Rodoljub Paunovic’s header in the 49th minute and had to be content with a draw after conceding a late equaliser from a set piece.

“We played well especially in the second half with many opportunities to score and we also had a one-on-one situation with only the keeper to beat in the first half. This is the problem in football. Only teams who took their chances well will win the match but we did not, and in the end we have to share points with UiTM instead.

“Actually a draw was not too bad, but the point is we were playing at home and we should not have lost the points so easily. The match saw us losing two valuable points. In addition to the loss against Selangor United, we had lost five points from two matches,” he said after match. Jelius also played down on the effects to the team due to the absence of several key players for the match.

Jelius wants hired guns to buck up

New Sabah Times

By FRANCIS XAVIER

MISSED ATTEMPT … Tambadau’s Korean defender Park Tae Su (2nd right) saw his attempt from just outside the six-yard box sail above the crossbar. – Photo Credit: Media Safa

 KOTA KINABALU: Tambadau’s ‘hired guns’ had better buck up or face the consequences of being axed when the mid-season transfer windows open next month. Head coach Jelius Ating is far from happy with their contributions, particularly after seeing his side squander numerous goal scoring chances in the one-all draw against UiTM FC at the Likas Stadium on Saturday. Jelius insists that his foreign signings failed to live up to his expectations and demands more from them.

 “I’m happy with the players who played especially the local boys who had rarely played but showed good displays. “Personally, it should be the (foreign) imports that must lift their games. They were signed because we expect them to be better than the locals and they are expected to make the difference.

 “In the Malaysian League, the standard of the local players are not much different. It is the quality of the foreign signings that will make the difference. “I’ve reminded the foreign players to improve…they must prove it,” said Jelius, who however is happy with his hard-working striker Serbian striker Rodoljub Paunovic, despite being the oldest among his foreign signings. The 33-year-old headed home the opener for Tambadau before UiTM import Robert Waly Lopez Mendy scored the equaliser with an 84th minute free kick from about 25 metres out.

Justin: Juniors capable of full points against JDTIII

New Sabah Times

By FRANCIS XAVIER

 KOTA KINABALU: Head coach Justin Ganai insists his side must get better if they hope to go beyond the group stage in the President’s Cup 2019 Group A challenge. He said they need massive improvements, particularly their finishing. However, Justin said he was happy with the progress the team has made thus far. “We must continue to work hard and improve our game because the league is not going to get easier,” said Justin.

“If they continue to strive harder and work hard in training, I believe that there is still more to come (from his young side),” Justin added. “So far, I’m happy with the progress the team has made. We seemed to improve from game to game. I hope the team will continue to improve and put up a better show. Tomorrow (today), I’m also expecting them to do better than last time out,” said Justin, whose side will take on Johor Darul Ta’zim III at the Pasir Gudang Municipal Council Stadium today. On the match, he said:

 “If we can put up the same kind of performance and spirit against Selangor and able to score goals, I’m quite confident we will return home with three points or a point at the very least.” For the record, Tambadau Junior will go into the 4.45pm tie on a four-match unbeaten run. They drew two-all against Selangor in their last fixture at the Likas Stadium where they came back from two goals down to share the spoils with the Group A leaders.

Sabah draw 1-1 with UiTM

Daily Express

By: GL Oh

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Tambadaus were denied three points by late equaliser in the Premier League match against UiTM where it ended 1-1 at Likas Stadium, Saturday night. The home side were on course to return to their winning ways after recent two losses with a goal from Rodoljub Paunovic in the 49th minute.

However, the players somehow seemed to lose their focus with 20 minutes to go, allowing the visitors to detect the game and they were forced to concede a number of fouls outside the box which proved to be costly. UiTM took advantage of the opportunities and came away for a point thanks to their import player Robert Waly Lopez Mendy who scored the equaliser from a free kick in the 84th minute.

 The goal gave Sabah players wakeup call and they attempted to regain the lead with offensive play in the final minutes and it came too late and they were unable to beat the in-form UiTM keeper who denied them with some excellent saves. Sabah were a better side on the night, Jelius Ating who gave veteran defender Mafry Balang the skipper armband following the suspension Rawilson Batuil organised the defence well and able to neutralise any threats posed by the visitors on open play.

Roar Sabah to victory, fans urged

Daily Express

By: GL Oh

Kota Kinabalu: Team manager Henry Saimpon hopes the Likas Stadium roar from the faithful can inspire Sabah Tambadaus to return to their winning ways and beat UiTM in the Premier League clash tonight (Saturday). He said a big turnout in the stadium is a must to ensure the noise from the stands will give the players an extra push to deliver the all important three points for the team.

 The match is expected to be an explosive affair as only one point separates the two teams at the moment, with Sabah in second place with 14 points while their opponents are one rung below, a point less but with a game in hand. “It is very important we take advantage of playing at home to get the maximum points.

It is also an opportunity for the players to redeem themselves,” he said on Friday. He also said the team are fine despite the recent losses, and it was only due to injuries to key players that somehow affected their play. “I am sure the coaching staff led by (coach) Jelius Ating will have the right plan worked out to grab a win tomorrow, so I call on all the fans be united and come to the stadium and give their full support to the team.”

Sabah battle back to draw

Daily Express

By: GL Oh

KOTA KINABALU: The State President Cup squad came from two goals down to snatch a 2-2 draw with Selangor in their Group A clash at Likas Stadium on Thursday. The opening 45 minutes was a dull affair with no clear chances created by both teams. The match only came alive in the second half after the visitors’ Saiful Iskandar Adha Saiful Azlan scored the opener in the 51st minute.

With the Sabah players still in shock, they added another to extend their lead through Kugan Dhevarajan from the penalty spot. Sabah’s response was swift and they mounted an immediate attack on Selangor territory and in a goalmouth melee, Erick Odo slotted in a goal to reduce the deficit. It lifted the players’ confidence and they had two missed opportunities to score, with the first from Zulkifly Haruan who dribbled past two defenders into the box but his shot was turned away by the keeper.

The second was by Ariusdius Jais who somehow saw his strike in front of goal miss the target. However, their persistence to find the equaliser finally paid off in the 75th minute when Suhaizan Nazmie Etin who had only just come on to replace Erick scored with his first touch of the ball.

Tambadau Juniors halt Selangor’s winning run

New Sabah Times

By FRANCIS XAVIER

 KOTA KINABALU: The spirited Tambadau Juniors fought back well to secure a deserved 2-2 draw with Selangor in a President’s Cup Group A tie at the Likas Stadium yesterday. The visiting Selangor had gone into the tie on a good winning run and Tambadau Juniors did well to come back from a two-goal deficit to share the spoils that eventually saw them put their opponents’ five-match winning streak to a halt. It was surely a well-deserved point for Justin Ganai’s boys where they could have even won the tie with better finishing.

 The opening half saw the hosts dominate play, but failed to create any decent scoring chances as it ended 0-0. When the second half resumed, Tambadau Juniors were punished early in the half as Selangor scored two quick goals in the space of four minutes, including one from the spot. Midfielder Saiful Iskandar Adha bin Saiful Azlan drew first blood for the visitors in the 51st minute, before D. Kugan scored the second from the spot in the 54th minute.

 But flanker Erick Odo put Tambadau Juniors back in the game through his 56th minute goal, before being replaced by Suhaizan Nazmie Etin @ Abdullah in the 72nd minute. The lanky Suhaizan went on to score the equaliser for the hosts four minutes later by lashing home from close range. But Tambadau Juniors were forced to play with one man lesser when Mohd Izzat Aziz was shown a red card six minutes from regulation time.

Sabah Prisons team vows to bring back title

Daily Express

By: GL Oh

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Prisons are determined to win back the title they last won in 2017 at the 36th Tan Sri Murad Ahmad National Prison Football Tournament in Penang starting today (Thursday). They lost to arch rivals Kajang (Selangor) 2-1 in last year’s final and they had beaten the same team the previous year 5-4 on penalties.

Coach Roslan Wasli reckoned with one month of intensive training under him and assisted by Augustine Paga, he is confident the players can achieve the target. “Our preparation started a month ago and all the players are ready to give their very best to reach the final and reclaim the title.

 He said this after the handing over of the Sabah flag to team manager Jorennedy Sylvester by PP AB Nasif Sarahan representing Sabah Prisons Director Haji Suria Idris with the presence of assistant team manager Adney and other team members in a ceremony held at the Sabah Prisons head office in Kepayan on Thursday.

Hoping Tambadaus will regain winning form

Daily Express

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Football Association (Safa) acting President Datuk Peter Anthony (pic) said Sabah Tambadaus must get back to the winning track as quickly as possible following their recent two-match losing streak. He said the 1-0 loss to Kelantan United in the FA Cup second round tie on April 3 and the 2-1 defeat to Selangor United in the Premier League match three days later came as a shock to the team.

“We are very disappointed with the two away losses which were obviously very unexpected as we had a six-match undefeated record before that.” Peter, who was at the match against Selangor United, said the team lost simply because of poor finishing and their own mistakes which were punished by the opponents.

 “However, we should not worry too much on the disappointment… instead we should focus more on the coming matches,” he said on Wednesday. He hoped with the coming two matches to be played here, it will help the team in getting back their winning form. “We hope the team will regain their Premier League winning form in the coming two home matches this week and next week.

President cup Sabah won’t be pushovers: Coach

Daily Express

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah President Cup coach Justin Ganai (pic) says the squad’s Group A match against Selangor this afternoon (Thursday) at Likas Stadium is going to be a tough encounter. However, despite the recent good run by the visiting team, the veteran coach insisted his team will not be pushovers and will give their very best to cause an upset.

“We will be using the match to gauge the true strength of our team because there is no better way to do it other than to take on the table-toppers, who have won all their opening five matches. “This is also going to be a yardstick to see how far we have progressed since our preparations started a few months back,” he added.

 “We’ll see what is going to happen tomorrow, but I believe our players are ready to mount a strong challenge against a team who have a good scoring record with 11 goals from five matches and conceded only two goals. “Our defence who also let in only two goals so far must be at their very best to stop them from scoring while our strikers will need to buck up because only three goals were scored in the last five matches.”

Peter: Stop the rot!

New Sabah Times

By FRANCIS XAVIER

 KOTA KINABALU: Datuk Peter Anthony has called on his Tambadau squad to halt their losing streak. The Sabah Football Association (Safa) acting president insisted they need to get back to winning ways in order to put their challenge back on the right track. “We are disappointed after suffering two consecutive defeats in our last two fixtures, including in the FA Cup challenge. “It is something (two defeats) that we didn’t expect, especially when we were on a six-match unbeaten run. However, we should not let the two defeats haunt us because it is now history.

 “Instead, it is more important for us to set our sights on our upcoming fixtures,” he said when contacted yesterday. Tambadau were shamed when they suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at the hands of M3 League Kelantan United FC in the second round of the FA Cup challenge on April 3 before being edged 2-1 by Selangor United FC in the Premier League tie away from home last Saturday.

 Peter, who was there to show his support towards the defeat against Selangor United FC, said that poor finishing and silly errors cost them the points. “I hope the team will regain their winning rhythm when we play two consecutive home matches starting this week. “We want to see good performances from the team in order to ensure our promotion quest remains relevant.

State Under-19 squad suffer fifth consecutive defeat

New Sabah Times

By UMESH RAJAN KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Under-19 squad slumped to their fifth consecutive defeat as they were beaten 1-2 by Selangor during their Youth Cup Group B tie at the Penampang Stadium on Wednesday. The visitors started the match with high attacking tempo and they were rewarded with the opening goal as early as in the 11th minute when Sharvin Selvakumaran slid home the ball.

 Selangor then added their second five minutes later with another great teamwork move as Muhammad Husni Idrus calmly struck a half volley past Sabah’s Mohd Azlizan Mohd Azlan. The home side then responded by pulling a goal back in the 18th minute when Mohd Sahrizan Saidin’s free kick was headed into the back of the net by Mohd Faqrul Idris.

 The scoreline remained unchanged until half time and despite both sides producing chances in the second half, none of them managed to score any goals which condemned Sabah to their sixth loss of the season. As a result, Sabah dropped to the bottom in Group B with only three points collected from seven matches played after Penang won their match against Sarawak to climb above Sabah by one point, yesterday.

Stern test for Tambadau Juniors

New Sabah Times

By FRANCIS XAVIER

 KOTA KINABALU: The Tambadau Juniors will be put to a real test when they face off against Selangor in a President’s Cup Group A tie that kicks off at 4:15pm at the Likas Stadium today. Head coach Justin Ganai said this is undoubtedly one tough home date for his side before insisting they are ready to give their opponents a run for their money. “We will be using the match to gauge the true strength of our team because there is no better way to do it other than to take on the table-toppers, who have won all their opening five matches,” the veteran coach said when contacted yesterday. 

“This (match) is also going to be a yardstick to see how far we have progressed since we started our preparations a few months back,” he added. “We’ll see what is going to happen tomorrow (today), but I believe our players are ready to mount a strong challenge against Selangor. “On paper, they seem to be unstoppable … they have a good scoring record with 11 goals from five matches and conceded two goals, but we are determined to put their fine run to a halt.

 “As for us, our scoring is something that looks like a work still in progress. We merely managed to record three goals from five matches and conceded two. And it is something that really concerns us. “We certainly need to improve on our finishing. We have been trying to sort it out in our daily training and hopefully what we have been practising (finishing) for the past few days will work its wonder tomorrow,” Justin said.

Golden chance to halt poor run

New Sabah Times

By UMESH RAJAN KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Under-19 squad are hoping to end their poor run of results as they face Selangor in the Youth Cup Group B tie at the Penampang Stadium, today at 4.15pm. The state’s youngest football team are on a four-match losing streak and sit second from bottom in their group with only three points collected from their opening six matches of the season.

 Head coach, Billyton Vun Kit Ming hopes that his team are able to improve on their weaknesses, especially their defence which has been exploited thoroughly by opponents so far. “In our last match against Perak where we were humbled 4-1, the players played well but during certain situations, our defence faltered to their attack at that given moment.

 “We gave our all in all of the matches but our opponents have exploited our weaknesses in defence since we have inexperienced defenders. “I managed to do extensive defensive drills during our training sessions for at least one week and I hope the players will show improvements in tomorrow’s (Wednesday) match,” he said when contacted, yesterday.

Tambadaus beaten 2-1 by S’gor United

Daily Express

By: GL Oh

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Tambadaus suffered their second defeat in three days after losing 2-1 to Selangor United in the Premier League match at Stadium MOS, Selayang, Saturday. It was also the second time they failed to get any point in five games following their season opener 2-1 loss to JDT II. Following the FA Cup loss by Kelantan United on Wednesday, Jelius decided to start the match with Alto Linus ahead of Maxsius Musa while Mafry Malang in placed of the injured Sabri Sahar.

 It was a positive start for Sabah as they were the better side in the early exchanges. Mafry had a lone-range shot which was turned away by keeper Nuraizat Aziz who frustrated Sabah throughout the afternoon with a number of excellent saves. Sabah’s attacking play was good and created a lot of chances but their defence was a suspect with both goals conceded due to defensive errors.

Their failure to stop Norhafizzuan Jailani from making a first time cross into the box saw Sergio Fabian Ezequiel Agüero escaped his marker Park Taesue to head in the opener in the 36th minute. The second came in the 71st minute when Sergio delivered a cross into the penalty area , and with the Sabah players’ failure to clear the ball, the onrushing Fauzan Dzulkifli made no mistake to score with a stiff grounder.

Sabah suffer huge blow

Daily Express

By: GL Oh

Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Tambadaus received a huge blow to their campaign this season as their versatile midfielder and local lad Sabri Sahar will be out for about six months after undergoing surgery on his right knee at KPJ Sabah Specialist Hospital here on Wednesday. The 26-year-old suffered a knee injury during the team’s 2-0 home win over Penang on March 30 here at Likas Stadium.

“I only can recall someone pushed me from behind and seconds later, I felt a sharp pain after landing on the ground,” he said at his bed on Thursday. He was stretchered off by the medical staff, and he did not think much of it as he could still manage to walk on his own to return home. It was only after the review done at the hospital on Tuesday that he was informed of the seriousness of the injury. A one and a half hour surgery was then successfully carried out by the hospital’s doctor on Wednesday afternoon.

Sabri is very optimistic on his recovery and hoped he will start to work on his fitness as soon as possible so that he can make a quick return to help the team where he had been the main player for the past few seasons. Meanwhile, Sabah suffered a shock 1-0 FA Cup second round loss to Malaysian Football League third tier team Kelantan United at the Stadium Sultan Mohammad IV, in Kota Bharu on Wednesday night.

Goal-shy Tambadau exit FA Cup

New Sabah Times

By UMESH RAJAN

 KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s head coach, Jelius Ating rues the missed chances as his team were sent packing from this season’s FA Cup competition by amateur side, Kelantan United FC at the Sultan Muhammad IV Stadium in Kota Bahru on Wednesday. The Tambadau were given a surprise by their lower tier M3 League opponents during the tie as Fakhrul Zaman Wan Zawawi’s sixth-minute free kick was enough to settle the second round tie.

 When contacted, Jelius said the failure to beat Kelantan United FC was a big mistake as his players failed to take advantage of the many scoring opportunities presented during the match. “Under normal circumstances, we could have won this match without any problem, especially since we controlled majority of the ball possession throughout the match.

 “Yet I found that the players easily lost their confidence and focus, especially our attacking guys who had many opportunities to score but wasted each one every time. “Nevertheless, I accept this defeat with an open heart and some weaknesses shown from certain parts of the team will be improved after this in preparation for the next match,” he said.

Justin’s boys extend unbeaten streak

New Sabah Times

KOTA KINABALU: Tambadau Juniors extend their unbeaten streak to three matches despite drawing 0-0 with Kedah during their President’s Cup Group A tie, yesterday at the Darul Aman Stadium, Alor Setar. Justin Ganai’s boys had to rue their missed chances, including a penalty miss late in the second half as they shared the points with the home side in an even matched encounter. 

Both sides finished the first half on even ground, they both had genuine chances only to be stopped by the two teams’ goalkeepers. In the second half, Sabah came out slightly stronger with several chances including a free header from a set piece situation which went wide in the 59th minute. While the best chance of the match was Tambadau Juniors’ penalty kick in the 80th minute, courtesy of a foul by the home side’s defender.

 However, Kedah’s goalkeeper pulled off a brilliant save to deny Sabah taking all three points. Sabah’s head coach, Justin nevertheless was happy with the one point despite not extending their winning run. “The players played well today (Thursday). We missed several chances to score, especially the penalty kick but all in all, we will take that one point without regret as Kedah are a much stronger side than us.

Sabah chase a third win

Daily Express

By: GL Oh

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah President Cup squad will be chasing their third straight win in the competition against Kedah in a Group A tie at Stadium Darul Aman in Alor Setar this afternoon (Thursday). Only one point separate the two teams with Sabah currently in seventh place in the table standing with six points from four games, while Kedah are in fourth place with seven points. Coach Justin Ganai (pic) who saw his team labour to beat Armed Forced FC 1-0 in the last match on Saturday at UMS Stadium hoped the players can be more clinical in front of goal.

“I have confidence in my players’ ability to deliver the result tomorrow. The only problem thus far was their failure to convert goal-scoring chances. “They have been playing well in all the matches since the start of the season, but the frontline seemed to be at a loss when facing strong defensive team.

The players tend to hesitate even with only the goalkeeper to beat. “They need to be more composed and I have been working with my coaching staff to improve their finishing for the past few days, and if they can overcome that, then there is no reason we cannot beat Kedah in their own den,” he said before their departure Wednesday morning. He also said there will not be any changes in the team’s starting line-up for the match. Joslan Aping will start in goal supported by Gerald Gadit, Abdul Hanafie Tokyo Abdul Hasim, Mohd Izzat Aziz in defence while the five-man midfield will have captain Mohd Aidil Safee, Zulkifly Harun, Erick Odo, Mohd Azmizan Ruslih and Mohd Syukri Baahrun while the strikers are Ariusdius Jais and Mohd Shariman Mukarim.

Tambadau Juniors out to stretch winning run

New Sabah Times

By UMESH RAJAN

JUSTIN … expected to field the same starting line-up as last week's match.

 KOTA KINABALU: Tambadau Juniors are looking to continue their winning momentum as they visit Kedah for their President’s Cup Group A tie to be played at the Darul Aman Stadium, Alor Setar, today at 4.45pm. The state’s Reserve League squad are coming off back-to-back victories after defeating Armed Forces FC 1-0 at the UMS Stadium last Friday, as well as notching a 2-0 win over Penang at the Likas Stadium last month.

 Head coach, Justin Ganai is expected to field the same starting line-up as last week’s match which comprises two players from the senior team, namely Ariusdius Jais and Mohd Syukri Baharun. “I hope the players continue their positive performance as seen in the match against Armed Forces FC last week where we created a lot of chances despite only scoring once. “The same situation will occur in tomorrow’s (Thursday) game against Kedah.

Therefore I have advised the players to be patient and play their own game, create more chances and hopefully score one or two goals to collect all three points,” he said. The evergreen state coach added that Kedah have a strong football foundation with a lot of talented junior players but he is adamant that Sabah’s youngsters can fare well against their stronger opponents. Sabah sit seventh in the 10-team group with six points obtained in four matches played so far, whereas Kedah are in fourth, while leaders Selangor maintain their perfect start to the season with 12 points.

FA Cup 2019

Round	VS	Leg	Date	Result	Scorers
2nd Round	Kelantan United	Away	3 Apr	L 0-1	-

* Subject to changes

Tankur FC win Sabah Unity League Open

Daily Express

KOTA KINABALU: Tankur FC lived up to their favourites tag with a comfortable 4-2 win over KDM Labuan in the final of the Sabah Unity League Open final at Penampang Stadium on Sunday. The star-studded Tankur team with several ex-State senior and youth players in the line-up were met with resistance early in the game from their opponents who were unbeaten before the final. It took them 29 minutes before finding the net through ex-State striker Jufrey Omopor who escaped his marker to blast home the opener.

They also had to thank ex-State skipper Mohd Reithudin Emran who marshalled the well organised defence to trounce several dangerous attempts at goal from the islanders to keep the score 1-0 in the first half. KDM Labuan continued to press for the equaliser at the restart and it wasn’t until Jufrey Omopor scored his second in the 67th minute did it finally take the steam out of the players, as they conceded another three minutes later scored by another former State striker Razlan Otto.

Being three goals up, Tankur players let their guards down a bit allowing the much fitter KDM Labuan players to pull one back in the 75th minute through former State President Cupper Sean Gerald Mojikon. However, any hopes of a comeback was dashed after Tankur FC’s Mohd Shukri Ruslis restored the three-goal advantage five minutes later before Mohd Ziyad Syamilin of KDM Labuan scored in the dying minutes to make the final score 4-2.

Coach to field his best eleven

Daily Express

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah head coach Jelius Ating (pic) is likely to put out his best line-up to face Kelantan United in the second round FA Cup tie at Stadium Sultan Mohammad IV, in Kota Bharu, tonight (Wednesday). “We want to progress as far as we can go in the competition so we will treat all the teams the same even though our opponents tomorrow are from the third tier FAM Cup.

“We will not underestimate them because I believe the ball is round and anything can happen, especially in a knockout competition like this, and the home side will also have their import players in the team as well,” he said on Tuesday. He added that a victory is also important for the team to maintain their momentum.

 “We do not want our current winning momentum in the Premier League to be affected as we have to face Selangor United in the Premier League three days after the match tomorrow.” He also disclosed that midfielder Sabri Sahar, who sustained a knee injury during the previous match against Penang, will be missing tonight. “Sabri’s injury is quite serious and requires surgery so we may lose him for the rest of the season.

Tambadau mean business

New Sabah Times

By FRANCIS XAVIER

 KOTA KINABALU: Head coach Jelius Ating made his intentions clear by insisting that he will parade his strongest available squad when they lock horns with amateur side Kelantan United FC in the FA Cup second round tie which kicks off at 8:45pm tonight at the Sultan Muhammad IV Stadium in Kota Bahru.

 That means, Korean defender Park Tae Su, who missed Tambadau’s 2-0 win over Penang last Saturday, will return to first-team action alongside his three other foreign signings in Brazilian striker Luiz Carlos Junior and Serbian duo of Rodoljub Paunovic and Luka Milunovic. Jelius said they have no reason to underestimate their opponents despite the fact that they are from the nation’s M3 League, which is dubbed as the country’s third tier football competition.

 He said the FA Cup is a totally different ball game and that it has its own magic where top teams have been known to suffer defeats to lower ranked opponents. “It is our hope to progress as far possible in the FA Cup and that is why we need to treat our opponents seriously regardless of which league they are from.

Tankur FC outgun KDM Labuan in decider

New Sabah Times

KOTA KINABALU: Tankur FC showcased a touch of class as they won the 2018 Sabah Unity League final on Sunday, played at the Penampang Stadium, near here. The tournament’s favourites comprising several experienced former state players, cast aside the less experienced KDM Labuan, 4-2 in the final match to take home the lion’s share of RM25,000 in the prize pool. Tankur FC took a one-goal lead into half time courtesy of Jufrey Omopor who blasted home from inside the area in the 29th minute.

 The champions then added two more goals in quick succession after the break as Jufrey scored his second in the 67th minute, before Razlan Otto put in the third three minutes later. KDM Labuan pulled a goal back in the 75th minute through Sean Gerald Mojikon, but Tankur FC sealed their fate as Mohd Shukri Rusli scored the fourth goal in the 80th minute, while Mohd Ziyad Syamil grabbed a last-minute consolation goal.

 Tankur FC team manager, Sernam Singh praised his team for their superb performance and good display of class football en route to winning the title. “KDM Labuan played well too. They had numerous scoring opportunities but luck was on our side and congratulations to both sets of players for displaying good football to the fans here,” he said. The prizes were presented by the Penampang District Officer, Robert Stidi who attended the final match as the guest of honour.

2018 BWF World Tour

BWF World Tour Finals

Tour	MS	WS	MD	WD	XD
World Tour Final	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Super 1000

Tour	MS	WS	MD	WD	XD
All England	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Indonesia Open	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
China Open	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Super 750

Tour	MS	WS	MD	WD	XD
Malaysia Open	Lee Chong Wei	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Japan Open	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Denmark Open	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
French Open	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
China Masters	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Super 500

Tour	MS	WS	MD	WD	XD
Malaysia Masters	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Indonesia Masters	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
India Open	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Thailand Open	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Singapore Open	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Goh Soon Huat Shevon Jemie Lai
Korea Open	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Hong Kong Open	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Super 300

Tour	MS	WS	MD	WD	XD
Thailand Masters	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Chan Peng Soon Goh Liu Ying
Swiss Open	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
German Open	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Goh Soon Huat Shevon Jemie Lai
New Zealand Open	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Australian Open	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
US Open	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Chan Peng Soon Goh Liu Ying
Spain Masters	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Chinese Taipei Open	Lee Zii Jia	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Macau Open	N/A	N/A	N/A	Vivian Hoo Kah Mun Yap Cheng Wen	N/A
Syed Modi International	N/A	N/A	N/A	Chow Mei Kuan Lee Meng Yean	N/A
Korea Masters	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Super 100

Tour	MS	WS	MD	WD	XD
Orleans Masters	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Lingshui China Masters	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Canadian Open	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Akita Masters	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Russian Open	N/A	Ho Yen Mei	Mohamad Arif Latif Nur Azriyn Ayub	N/A	N/A
Vietnam Open	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Hyderabad Open	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
BB Indonesia Masters	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Dutch Open	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Saarlorlux Open	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Scottish Open	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Keep up fine form

Daily Express

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Football Association (Safa) acting President Datuk Peter Anthony (pic) urged Sabah Tambadaus’ players to take advantage of their current good form when they take on Kelantan United FC in the second round of the Shopee FA Cup tie at the Stadium Sultan Mohammad IV, Kelantan tomorrow (Wednesday).

Sabah are top of the Premier League table standing at the moment with 14 points from four wins and two draws while their opponents are third in the lower division with six points from two win and a loss. “I am confident we can get past this second round match not because our opponents are from the third tier but our team are currently in very good form.

“The players must maintain their momentum for the match on Wednesday as we treat all the competitions in the Malaysia League equally important including the FA Cup,” he said on Monday. He added that coach Jelius Ating and his players are all well prepared and ready for the match. “I am sure playing away will not affect the players much. However, they should not underestimate their opponents and must try to play to their best for a win.”

Year End-Badminton Ranking No.1 (Since 2008)

Year-end number one players
Last updated: End 2020

Year	MS	WS	MD	WD	XD
2017-2020	-	-	-	-	-
2016	Lee Chong Wei	-	Goh V Shem Tan Wee Kiong	-	-
2014-2015	-	-	-	-	-
2010-2013	Lee Chong Wei	-	-	-	-
2009	Lee Chong Wei	-	Koo Kien Kiet Tan Boon Heong	-	-
2008	Lee Chong Wei	-	-	-	-

Hard work pays off: Coach

Daily Express

By: GL Oh

KOTA KINABALU: Jelius Ating said hard work paid off for his players after Sabah Tambadaus brushed aside Penang 2-0 in their Premier League clash at Likas Stadium on Saturday. The head coach praised the team who registered their fourth win of the season with both goals scored by their Brazilian player Luiz Carlos Junior.

“First of all, I thank God for the win. Credit must be given to all the players who worked really hard in tonight’s match. In fact they had also put in a lot of effort in the training as well and it was good to see their hard work paying off,” he said after the match on Saturday night. Despite the comfortable score line, Jelius said it was not an easy match for his players against the Islanders.

 “The victory tonight was not as easy as it looked. Penang also played very well and created many scoring chances throughout the match but I must say luck was more with us tonight. “We could have won by more than two goals as well, but to me the amount of goals scored is not important as I believe winning and collecting three points from the match is much more important,” he added.

Jelius credits players, fans

New Sabah Times

By FRANCIS XAVIER

CLOSE MARKING … Tambadau’s Serbian attacker Luka Milunovic (right) fights for the ball with his Penang opponent during the Premier League tie at the Likas Stadium on Saturday. – Photo Credit: Safa Media

 KOTA KINABALU: Jelius Ating admitted that luck was in Tambadau’s favour in their 2-0 win over Penang at the Likas Stadium on Saturday. The coach said it was a hard fought win and they were fortunate to have walked away with the three points. “It was not an easy win for us because Penang played well and created enough chances (to win), but, I think we had better luck on the night. “In fact, we could have won by more than two goals but for me, that was enough because what’s important is that we collect all three points,” said Jelius in an interview after the match.

 He also praised his charges for their steely determination to win the tie. The Tambadau head coach said his players worked hard throughout the game. “I have to give credit to all the players where they worked tirelessly, not only in the match but in training (during the three-week break), just to produce the desired result.

 “I’m happy that we achieved what we set out for and it proved their hard work did not go down to waste. “I also want to thank the fans for their support…our victory is theirs too,” Jelius aid while thanking the management for arranging the friendly matches during the recent break which had given a positive impact on the team. Luiz Carlos Junior starred for the Tambadau as his brace sent them to the top of the league standings The Brazilian striker scored his first with a close-range header off a corner taken by Sabri Sahar when the match was only two minutes old. .