KUALA LUMPUR – Selangor FC head coach Nidzam Jamil has instructed his charges to perform well in their upcoming Super League clashes if they hope to clinch the FA Cup.
The 45-year-old’s comments come after his side made a comeback at the MBPJ Stadium on August 3, defeating Terengganu FC 6-4 on aggregate to qualify for the final for the ninth time in the club’s history.
The first leg of the semi-final on July 19 saw Terengganu edge past Selangor with a 3-2 victory at home.
Speaking to Scoop, Nidzam said his main focus is to improve the club’s away form, which has been poor this season.
The Red Giants, who have played a total of 11 matches in domestic competitions (Super League and FA Cup), have recorded a winning percentage of 63.6% (seven wins).
Nidzam’s team have faced three defeats (Kuching City FC and Terengganu in the FA Cup, Kuala Lumpur City FC in the Super League) in away matches.
However, the MBPJ Stadium remains a stronghold for the Red Giants, as they have recorded a 100% winning rate at their home ground.
Leading up to the FA Cup final against Johor Darul Ta’zim FC on August 24, the Red Giants will take on Kelantan United FC at home on Saturday and Sabah FC at the Likas Stadium on August 13 in the Super League.
“Of course, we are happy that we have qualified for the FA Cup final, but we need to work on several areas of our game if we hope to clinch the trophy.
“Our away performances have been bad this season, and we need to make sure that we work on that and also maintain our winning momentum in our upcoming Super League clashes.
“We really need to be serious about this matter, as we need to reward the Selangor fans for all the support they have given us over the past few months. It’s been a while since we last won the tournament, and I personally would love to win it in my first stint as head coach with the club.
“The club has seen several ups and downs over the past few months, and we need to start building ourselves in the next two Super League matches and, most importantly, prepare ourselves mentally and physically before we take on JDT,” said Nidzam when contacted.
The last time Selangor won the FA Cup was in 2009 under the guidance of K. Devan, where they defeated Kelantan FC 4-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in normal time.
For the record, the Red Giants have won the FA Cup five times (1991, 1997, 2001, 2005 and 2009) in their 119-year history. – August 8, 2024