Sarawak FA has every reason to be confident when they face Kedah FA tonight because their home record shouts ‘victory’ all over.
The 28,000 Stadium Negeri stands will be capacity packed, and the fans are expected to come in full force, with their Sarawak flags wrapped around their necks to show support for their favorite team.
But the Canaries are no pushovers with the likes of Alan Guc and Badrol Bakhtiar influencing their game play. In fact, winger Mohd Syazwan Zainon was more than able to threaten the Crocs back line when his team played in Darul Aman Stadium last Tuesday. Ramesh Lai had a horrid day thanks to the flanker, and the Sarawakian defender can expect more coming tonight.
The combination of these four players, including the likes of Mohd Khyril Muhymeen make the threat from the Canaries real and assured, if the Crocs decided to play complacently and without much urgency.
Robert Alberts knows this, and he must be at this very moment, at his tactical table drawing up plans to stop the eager attacking force of Kedah because if anything was proven last Tuesday, it was that the Crocs needs to be extra vigilant when defending.
But some say that Roberts should look to play offensive football with Kedah because they believe that ‘the best defense is offense’. They have every right to conclude so because Bobby Gonzales and Muamer Salibasic are scoring machines, although Bobby may have left his scoring boots up on the dryer of late.
Nonetheless, given the opportunity, Bobby can sneak in goals, and Muamer with Zamri Morshidi and Joseph Kallang all prepared to throw in their accurate passes.
At the center, Guy Bwele returns for the Crocs to marshall the engine room but the best department for the Crocs would be the one led by newly called national player Sani Anuar, the defense.
With vast experience, Sani with his powerful team of Ronny Harun, Mafry Ballang, Ramesh and Hairol Mokhtar have been a talking point for many opposing teams. The five players do not only deny attacks by opposing teams, but also create chances for their strikers to slot one in.
Lions XII had a painful lesson from the back four a week ago, and we can only expect more from them as Kedah come to Kuching tonight.
With that said, we think Sarawak has the upper hand in this tie, and that home advantage would be key to Sarawak earning a win and a full three points.
OUR BIASED PREDICTION SARAWAK FA 2-0 KEDAH FA.
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