KUALA NERUS: Terengganu FC (TFC) head coach Tomislav Steinbrückner admitted that the Turtles squad’s preparations for the Malaysia Cup second semi-final match against Kuala Lumpur City FC (KL City) tomorrow night were slightly affected by the absence of key player Nurillo Tukhtasinov.
He said that the midfield maestro. who hails from Uzbekistan, could not be fielded in tomorrow night’s match after being suspended due to yellow card collection.
Steinbrückner also highlighted additional challenges with the fitness issues of central defence stalwarts Shahrul Nizam Roshasni and Saldor Kulmatov.
Consequently, he said the team will rely heavily on naturalised player Liridon Krasniqi and Omid Nazari to support team captain Habib Haroon in midfield at the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium (SSMZA).
“We are preparing as much as possible for the big match. Shahrul Nizam, Kulmatov and Norhakim (Norhakim Hassan) have certain problems.
“But I think they (TFC) will be ready though Nurillo is suspended. I don’t expect any mitigating circumstances from Kuala Lumpur because whoever plays will give their best performance,” he said when met at a training session of the team at the Gong Badak Sports Complex here yesterday.
Steinbrückner also cautioned his players to be wary of KL City’s attackers, Paulo Josue and Romel Morales, especially during set-piece situations.
He emphasised the need for mental strength, urging his players to be prepared for the possibility of extra time or penalties, underlining the importance of focus and readiness.
“KL may prepare some surprises for us. So, we must be ready and focus 100 percent on the match,” he added, while hoping for thousands of fans to show their support for TFC at the SSMZA during the game. – Bernama
