KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 24 — Melaka United striker Sony Norde expects the action of the second semi-final of the Malaysia Cup against Kuala Lumpur (KL) City FC on Friday to be more difficult as he knows he is a marked man.
The Haiti national import is fully aware that the “The City Boys” will again shadow his movements as closely as they did during the action at Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Cheras on Monday, so the attacking midfielder will have to count on his agility to break away in the hunt for goals to enable Melaka United to grab a ticket to the final.
“I try to help my team best as I can but KL City are playing well. In the first half, two players were always tailing me to control my movements, so the situation was quite intense as well.
“I can only try my best to out-manoeuvre my opponents at Hang Jebat Stadium and hope the tide is easier for me and my mates to clinch the result in our favour and then onwards to the final,” he said in a statement from the Malaysian Football League (MFL) today. In the first semi-final match, both teams were tied 1-1.
Meanwhile, KL City midfielder Zhafri Yahya who managed to save the capital squad from defeat through a header to equalise in the 26th minute, did not rule out the fatigue factor could sway the tide.
The visitors from the south first opened scoring through an Adriano Narcizo free-kick in the eighth minute.
“We will not give up and will fight to the last in our opponent’s half to advance to the Cup final. Under the management of (coach) Bojan Hodak, I see not only me, but also the performance of the other players has improved a lot and he knows the best position (for me) to be in to my advantage,” he reckoned. — Bernama
