MUKAH: Muhammad Faris came on as a substitute in the second half against Federal Territory to give Sarawak better control of the game.
The Kuching lad gave the opposing team a headache with his ball control and long passes down the left and right wings.
Asked why he was benched in the first half, Faris said it was a tactical decision by the coaches.
“This game was much better thanks to the support from the fans, the spirit of the players were also lifted,” he told reporters when met after the game.
He said the momentum of the game shifted after practical advices given by the coaches.
Muhammad Shahrulaikal Mohamad Nasir gave Federal Territory the lead in the 29th minute but Sarawak equalised in the second half when Faris scored at the 59th minute ending the match at 1-1.
In the next group D match, Sarawak will face Pahang in a must win game on Friday (Aug 16).
“The target for me personally is to bring Sarawak to the final.
“However, the focus as a team now will be to go through the quarter finals,” he said.
Meanwhile, in another Group D game, Perak secured three points with a 1-0 win against Pahang through a goal by Daniel Hakimi in the 22nd minute.
