foto – FA Selangor

 

None of three new signings will feature in coach B. Satianathan’s match plans when the former kingpins Selangor take the field against Pahang at the Darul Makmur Stadium in this Sunday’s Super League biggie.

The Red Giants are still winless after three matches and placed ninth in the elite league while Pahang sits pretty at the top of the table in second place with seven points with only goal difference separating the top four teams.

In Satianathan’s own words “Pahang has the best strikeforce” in the country at present he will not use any of three new signings in Kuantan as the trio have “not settled into the system” as beleaguered Selangor look for their first win.

The trio head to Kuantan for this Sunday’s Super League biggie against unbeaten Pahang, dubbed as the team with the “best strikeforce” led by Nigerian hitman Dickson Nwakaeme, in Malaysia.

The new signings for Selangor are Brazilian Sandro da Silva Mendonca, former international Khyril Muhymeen who had a brief stint with Perlis in the Premier League before the Northern Lions were booted due to a financial crisis and Fandi Othman who is on loan from PKNS FC after a swap deal with K. Kanan.

Attacking midfielder Sandro, 35, comes with strong credentials and knows the ins and outs of the Malaysian League, having featured for Kedah from 2015 to 2018 and made 100 appearances and scored 50 goals.

He replaces English-born Grenada international Antonio German the boot but retained last year’s Golden Boot winner Rufino Segovia, Australian defender Taylor Regan, Endrick dos Santos (Brazil) and Michal Nguyen (Vietnam).

“We will make do with what we have against Pahang. I will do some reshuffling to suit my match plans against Pahang,” said Satianathan on Friday.

Satianathan will once again be without his Regan who has yet to recover from injury and his absence has had a telling effect in the Selangor backline.

“Regan is a pillar in the team…without him, the defense is in sixes and sevens and it will be tough playing Pahang. Hopefully, we can call the shots as underdogs.”

Selangor goes into the match with a demoralizing 4-0 defeat at the hands of PKNS FC at home while Pahang was held to a 1-1 draw by Melaka United in away match.

“Pahang is in form and riding high. They have the best strikeforce in the league at present. Selangor, however, will not simply throw in the towel. We conceded easy goals in our last match.” RIZAL ABDULLAH 

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