KOTA BHARU – Kedah Darul Aman FC now has a chance to secure a slot in next season’s AFC Champions League 2 after a 6-1 victory over Kelantan FC, collecting three points in the Super League match at Sultan Muhammad IV Stadium yesterday.
Its head coach, Mohd Nafuzi Muhammad Zain, said that the three-point victory was critical for his team to close the gap with the Selangor team, which is currently second in the Super League.
“Currently, we only have a two-point difference with Selangor, and we have two more league matches left.
“The focus now is to secure a slot in AFC’s second-tier competition after Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) secured the spot in Tier 1 (AFC Champions League Elite). Hence, the competition at the moment is only between Kedah and Selangor,” he told reporters, after the Super League match here.
The current Super League standings see JDT in first place with 70 points, Selangor in second place (55 points) and Kedah in third place (53 points).
Nafuzi said that his team must be consistent in order to win the next two games.
“After this, we will meet Selangor at home ground and it will be an advantage for us, so this match is very important,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kelantan FC head coach Alfredo Vera stated that the club’s young players should be given more time to gain experience playing in a high-level league.
“We have to stay positive because the players worked hard on the field until the last minute, despite facing a stronger team; at the very least, the players gained experience to move forward.
“I often tell the players that the opportunity to play should be used as best as possible, because many teams in the Malaysian League are watching the match,” he said.
He said that Kelantan FC’s young players have the potential to develop if given the opportunity to play with either imported players or experienced local players. – November 27, 2023