MALAYSIA CUP: TFC GEAR UP FOR DECISIVE SEMI-FINAL BERTH DESPITE TWO-GOAL LEAD

SEREMBAN, Dec 15 (Bernama) -- A two-goal cushion from their 2-0 victory over Negeri Sembilan FC (NSFC) yesterday isn’t enough for the Terengganu FC (TFC) to book their Malaysia Cup semi-final ticket just yet, insists 'Turtles' squad head coach Badrul Afzan Razali.

Determined to keep their momentum, Badrul has called on his players to deliver another solid performance and stay sharp for the full 90 minutes in the decisive second-leg showdown against the 'Jang' squad at the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium in Kuala Terengganu on Dec 21.

"Having a two-goal lead doesn’t mean we’ll park the bus at Gong Badak (Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium). We’ll keep pressing forward and play attacking football. I hope the players can add to the scoreline. 

"There’s still 90 minutes to play in Kuala Terengganu. We’ll use this week to fine-tune every aspect of our game,” he told reporters after yesterday's match.

Badrul also commended his team for their impressive display, including an early goal in the first half, despite grappling with the scorching weather that slightly disrupted their match tempo.

"The heat here was a challenge, but in Kuala Terengganu, I anticipate we’ll be playing in the rain. With the two-goal advantage we’re taking home, I hope it will fuel the players with even greater motivation,” he said.

In the first-leg quarter-final at the Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium in Paroi, TFC secured a comfortable 2-0 lead through Muhammad Safawi Rasid’s opener and a penalty by import striker, Nelson Bonilla Sanchez.

Meanwhile, NSFC head coach K. Nanthakumar remained optimistic despite his team’s struggles, noting they have yet to register a win at home this season, but stressed that they were not ready to throw in the towel.

"We go into every match aiming to win, but the results haven’t gone our way so far. Nevertheless, we’ll keep pushing for our next home fixture,” he said.

On the second-leg quarter-final against TFC, Nanthakumar vowed to fight till the final whistle and hinted at a tactical shake-up to surprise their opponents.

-- BERNAMA