A spate of injuries to several of his key players had thrown a spanner in coach Dollah Salleh’s plans and match strategies for Pahang – seriously affecting the team’s challenge in Super League honours and the FA Cup.
Dollah, however, is not one to throw in the towel but instead he is looking at the heavens for spiritual help as he counts his crock list which seems to be getting longer by the day.
This Friday’s FA Cup biggie – the return-leg quarter-final match against Johor Darul Takzim at the Larkin Stadium in Johor Bahru – will be another test for Dollah and the Elephants after a 2-2 draw against Kuala Lumpur in Cheras on Sunday.
Without doubt Dollah is feeling the absence of his Liberian hot-shot Francis Forkey Doe – a long time casualty after he injured his knee in the FA Cup third round match against defending champions Kedah in Kuantan. Pahang won 1-0 to advance to the quarter-finals.
Pahang could only manage a scoreless draw against JDT – the four-time Super League champions and FA Cup winners in 2016 – in Kuantan in the first-leg on April 6.
JDT continue with their awesome form at the Larkin Stadium and their impressive 3-0 win over PKNS FC in a league match on Saturday are signals that Pahang will be in for a tough time in the FA Cup this Friday.
The big win over PKNS is enough motivation for JDT and head coach Raul Longhi. With full points off PKNS the Souther Tigers are perched on the top of the table in the Super League with 15 points from six matches – ahead of second-placed Terengganu with 11 points while Pahang, Perak and PKNS are all on 10 points, separated by goal difference.
Argentine Longhi is confident that his charges will keep the momentum in the FA Cup match against Pahang. Many had questioned JDT’s form after their embarassing 4-0 defeat to Persija Jakarta in a AFC Cup match in Jakarta last week.
Despite the AFC Cup defeat Longhi has enough material on the bench to face Pahang before facing Vietnam’s Song Lam Nghe An at Larkin on April 24 which could decide the team’s fate in the AFC Cup. JDT won the AFC Cup in 2015 with a 1-0 win over Istiklol FC of Tajikistan in the final in Dushanbe.
The Elephants have been reeling with injuries and Forkey Doe has been joined on the crock list by international Matthew Davies and Singapore international Safuwan Baharudin.
Gambian striker Mohamadou Sumareh and Malaysian international M. Kogileswaran scored in the 2-2 draw against K. Lumpur and Dollah could once again plot his team’s strategies with them at Larkin on Friday.
“Things are not going our way – thanks to the spate of injuries to my key players. But I have faith in the Almighty and can look up at the heavens for help,” said Dollah, who is known for his coolness and does not panic easily.BY RIZAL ABDULLAH
