MUKAH: Sarawak narrowly misses out on a quarter-final qualification despite a 3-2 win over Pahang.
Awangku Shahbuddin’s men played exciting football in the first half with a high-pressing 4-3-3 setup, as Pahang’s players could not contain Sarawak.
In the early minutes of the game, Sarawak applied pressure and their pressing suffocated Pahang’s backline.
Sarawak almost scored early when Mohammad Faris’s free kick hit the crossbar, soon after, Yohanis Daniel’s long-range shot from 25-yards out almost troubled the Pahang keeper.
Faris eventually broke the deadlock at the 9th minute mark with a clinical finish after a one-on-one with the Pahang keeper. Again, he was a menace after a delicious through ball split Pahang’s defence which met Amierul Safwan who added a second goal in the 17th minute.
It looked like it was going to be a long afternoon for Pahang’s defence as Cornelius Ornley was annoying Pahang’s right wing. He made a great run and crossed it to Asyraf Arwan only for him to tap it in for Sarawak’s third goal in the 32nd minute.
In the second half, Sarawak’s intensity slowed down probably due to the tired legs of Awangku’s men, who instead chose to play long.
Pahang pulled two goals back—one in the 49th minute from Che Wan Ahmad Nasarul Nai Che Wan Irwan Shah and another in the 82nd from Arash Danial Abdul Am.
In the closing minutes, Awangku was visibly frustrated, and his coaching staff were intensely urging the team to tighten their defensive organisation.
Despite the win, Sarawak’s hopes of advancing were dashed as Perak and Federal Territory played to a 0-0 draw in their Group D match.
Perak and Federal Territory advanced to the quarter-finals with 7 and 5 points respectively, while Sarawak’s fate was sealed.
