Friendly: Sarawak FA 1-1 Sabah FA

The heavy downpour before the game didn’t deter some 8,000 fans from turning up at Stadium Negeri to watch the first formal action of the 2014 squad of Sarawak against their rival Sabah FA.

The game started slow with both team playing carefully, and both sides trying their very best to adapt to the soggy pitch. As play opened up, both teams started making aggressive movements towards their opponents with players constantly sliding to win ball possession.

In the 15th minute, Joseph Kalang almost broke the deadlock but his shot was just whiskers off the target.

Sabah replied the attack and found themselves having a good chance to lead the game when a free kick was awarded to the visiting team in the 19th minute.

Newly signed import Mitrovic Srecko wasted no time to power in a beautiful curler to defeat Sani Anuar to put the Rhinos at the driving seat in the 20th minute.

Sarawak went on the offensive from then on but the speedy runs by Joseph Kalang and Zamri Morshidi failed to help towering Alireza Abbasfard from scoring the equalizer.

In the 30th minute, the Crocs came close to yet another equalizing goal but Alireza failed to defeat the ever ready Sabahan goalkeeper.

The miss by Alireza somewhat summarized a disappointing first half for Sarawak which ended with the visiting Rhinos still at the lead of the Borneo derby friendly.

The Crocs started the second half aggressive to find the equalizer. New towering defender Gabor Gypes moved himself upfront more often to help in set pieces for the Crocs with the Rhinos keen to defend their lead in the game.

Nonetheless, Alireza punished the sturdy Sabahan side when he calmly headed in a beautiful curled cross from Joseph to put both teams level.

Sarawak then came close to an amazing comeback when the referee awarded Sarawak a spot kick, but Hungarian Gabor’s shot was saved by the goalkeeper.

With the crowd cheering on, Sarawak raided Sabah’s defenses with their massive arsenal as S Chanturu and Rashid Aya making their way into the pitch.

However, the sturdy defense of the Rhino’s back four stood strong until the 75th minute, which saw the referee calling the game off due to unplayable conditions.

Photo above from Crocs News Update FB page.