KELANA JAYA – Selangor FC showed dominance in the presence of Faisal Halim as they defeated Negeri Sembilan 4-0 in the opening round of the Malaysia FA Cup at the MBPJ Stadium today.
The 26-year-old winger attended his first football match since being discharged from the hospital after recovering from a fourth-degree injury sustained in an acid attack on May 5.
Accompanied by marshals, Faisal was seen with his wife and son watching the match, with the Selangor ultras singing “Semoga Cepat Sembuh Faisal” for their stalwart player.
The Red Giants, utilising a 4-1-4-1 formation, demonstrated stability in both defence and offence from the opening minutes of the game.
Head coach Nidzam Jamil was seen shouting at his charges from the touchline as his squad penetrated Negeri Sembilan’s backline through the explosive runs of Alvin Fortes and Ronnie Fernandez on the flanks.
Their attacking efforts were rewarded in the sixth minute of the match when Yohandry Orozco scored the opener, making it three goals in a row for him against the Jangs after a brace in a Super League match on May 27.
The 33-year-old Venezuelan celebrated with the home fans, using the iconic “siu” celebration as a tribute to his teammate Faisal.
The deployment of Orozco on the deep half of the left attack by Nidzam proved fruitful for Selangor, as the attacking midfielder made a total of 12 runs and six creative passes in the span of seven minutes after scoring his opener.
He then doubled his tally in the 15th minute, giving his side a comfortable 2-0 lead after receiving a slick pass from Mukhairi Ajmal.
Negeri Sembilan’s Takumi Sasaki, who was brought into the Jangs in the recent transfer window from Ehime FC in the Japanese league, was the only threat for the Red Giants in the first half, testing goalkeeper Samuel Somerville with his low shots.
Alvin Fortes, who joined the Red Giants from Ratchaburi FC, finally opened his scoring account for Selangor after three appearances for the club.
The 30-year-old Cape Verdean midfielder kept the crowd on the edge of their seats with a left-foot stunner in the 45th minute.
Selangor was much deadlier in the second half, creating more chances while maintaining 78% of possession.
Ronnie, who has been in scintillating form for Selangor this season, won a penalty for his side in the 54th minute upon review by the video assistant referee.
However, the 33-year-old Chilean, who joined the Red Giants from Club Bolivar, saw his weak shot easily tapped away by Negeri Sembilan goalkeeper Syahmi Adib Haikal.
After 16 attacks and five shots on target following the penalty incident, Selangor finally sealed their win with style, with Alvin getting his brace by scoring with a half-volley in the penalty box in the 67th minute.
For the record, the Red Giants have won the FA Cup five times (1991, 1997, 2001, 2005, and 2009) in their 119-year history. – June 15, 2024