S’wak overcome Penang 2-0 in first home match
KUCHING: The Crocs notched a convincing 2-0 home win against Penang at the State Stadium to collect their first three points in a Premier League match here.
The team’s first win came through two second half goals from team captain Bobby Gonzales in the 60th and 83rd minutes.
Head coach Mohd Farhan Abdullah @ Anai Igang (Anai) said: “We are of course very happy with the win and our first three points and we are now going to focus on our next game away against Selangor United.”
A visibly proud Anai was pleased with the squad, saying that they were disciplined and played according to their game plan which was to play from the back and keep the ball as much as possible.”
Sarawak adopted a 4-3-3 system with Benedict Martin, Pedro Henrique, Dias De Amorim, Gibson Billy and Stevenson Uggah making the back four with Andy Nicholas Ripen between the posts.
The midfield trio comprised Awang Kamaruddin, Awang Borhan, Mohd Rian Firmanshah and vice captain Mohd Adam Shreen Tambi followed by the attacking trio of captain Bobby Gonzales and Nur Shamie Izuan Amin in the flanks and Muamer Salibasic as the lone striker.
The first goal was a result of a brilliant set-piece made from the sidelines with defender Gibson Billy making a long throw into the penalty box and Bobby (Bobby Gonzales) pouncing with a header into the left hand corner from outside the nine-yard box.
Gibson, who formed a defensive partnership with Pedro Henrique, became a crowd favourite very quickly with his daring game play and his mesmerising free throws, which were a throwback to the Ngap Sayot days with legendary Jalil Rambli making similar throws for the team.
The second goal came from the run of play with substitute midfielder Asrin Kalam sending a through ball all the way from the half way line which found Bobby who shrugged off Penang defenders to score a clinical finish with his right foot into the bottom left of the Penang goal.
The team made three substitutions during the game with newly signed Hudson Dias De Jesus coming in for Salibasic at the 51st minute and Asrin Kalam coming in for Mohd Rian Firmanshah at the 62nd minute and Awangku Mohd Hamirullizam for Awang Kamaruddin in the 82nd minute.
The game ended after four minutes of extra time. Sarawak defender Benedict Martin earned a yellow card while the Panthers received two yellow card bookings.
Some 3,000 fans thronged to the State Stadium for the afternoon game and among them was Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
Sarawak will play their third game away against Selangor United at the PKNS stadium in Petaling Jaya on Feb 16 followed by their next home match against Sabah on Feb 23.
