All three goals were scored by Sabah players, with 2 goals coming from Shahrul Azhar Ture (5th, pen 72) and import Rhys David Weston scoring an own goal on the 28th minute.

Sabah have to play all of their matches this season in the evening as the floodlights is having some problem with a few of its lights, thus not producing the minimum required brightness on the pitch.

Veteran striker Zainizam Marjan is still being retained together with senior defenders Rosdin Wasli and Alto Linus, midfielders Shahrul Azhar Ture, Sumardi Hajalan, Radzi Mohd Hussin and Shahrudin Yakup as well as third choice goalkeeper Irwan Jamil and striker Juffry Omopor, all from last season’s squad.

Three President Cup players who were promoted to the senior team are midfielders Sabri Sahar, Leopold Alfonso and defender Razid Gafar.

Former State centre half Hardy Charles Parsi who last played for ATM in the 2011 season also made a comeback together with midfielder Julamri Mohd who was sideline with injury last season.

Also in the team are former national Under-19 midfielder Mohd Ibnu Kassim and ex-Sukma player Farid Saibun who is a left back.

Sabah FA Vice President I Datuk Osman Jamal who chaired the meeting on Thursday evening said the selection was based on the feedback and reports from the coaches headed by David McCreery.

“It was a long process and the conclusion came after a series of trials held as recently as on November 9-11. I believe we have given ample time for the locals to win the hearts of the coaches and we are very sorry for those who did not make it.”

He said the most important criteria for the selection committee was the players’ discipline on and off the field.

“Their fitness also came into the picture but another important factor was how they can fit into McCreery’s game plan in the coming season.”

As for the local imports from other states, Osman said they have identified eight players and so far six have satisfied the coaches and two are to be given another chance to impress.

He also disclosed that they have signed former Gunner Rhys David Weston who has shown a clean sheet of health and in tiptop condition by the doctors.

“We will now be looking for a top rate striker to solve our goal-scoring woes for the past few seasons.

I believe our intended target who is 1.83m tall from Mali and played in the top Algeria league is on the way here and hopefully we will be able to see him next week.”

He also confirmed that the shortage of training pitch problem faced by McCreery has been solved as Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and Intan Institute have both agreed to let the team use their football fields for the team’s training sessions.

Meanwhile, the team will undertake a pre-season tour of Brunie in early December followed by friendly matches in Sarawak and Kalimantan where they will play against at least two top local professional clubs

He arrived in Kota Kinabalu yesterday and was greeted by head coach David McCreery. He attended  a one-week trial a few weeks ago and went back to England. His arrival probably brought a huge sigh of relief to SAFA.

Hopefully his experience can guide Sabah promotion to the Super League next season.

source: wikipedia

Wikipedia page.

The Perak-born custodian was one of the 15 players whose contracts were not renewed by the Sabah Football Association after three years with the team.

After his final coaching session with the Tabs junior players at the Likas Stadium on Sunday morning he told Express Sports that he was rather disappointed that he was unable to help Sabah avoid the drop at the just concluded season.

“It was just unfortunate that I could not do more for the team but I wish the team all the best and hope they will do well next season.”

He admitted that the past one-year had been the lowest point in his career when he was relegated to the bench by the coaches for the most part of the season.

“I must say the first year was one of the highlights in my career when the team won promotion to the Super League.”

He said he owed a lot to goalkeeper coach Awal Taham and Jasrih Jabirin for their help and advice in his training as well as on coaching the young kids. He also said he had a wonderful relationship with the Sabah FA.

“I have no ill feeling towards them. The management and staff had been wonderful and I thank them for their support throughout my stay here.”

He said he will be going back to Kuala Lumpur to look for a new team and it will most likely to be another Premier League outfit.

Meanwhile, Jasrih who was the goalkeeper coach for Azizon in the 2010 season praised the former international for his professionalism both on and off the field.

“Azizon is the most professional individual I had the pleasure to work with.

To me he is the best goalkeeper the State has had for a long time with his undoubted skill and discipline.”

“His record speaks loudly with him being awarded the best goalkeeper in the Premier League after helping Sabah win promotion in his first season.”

He described Azizon as a very humble guy and always willing to go down to the field to help out the kids without any reward and kept himself occupied even when he was dropped from the team during the season.

“The kids and their parents in Tabs all felt sad and some of them even cried when they learnt about his departure and I am sure the State team are going to miss him too.

Indra Putra Mahayuddin was the toast of the Red Warriors when he scored the winning goal in extra time after both sides were tied at 2-2 on regular time.

The historical win completed a treble of wins for Kelantan after emerging FA Cup champions and Super League champions this season, a feat last achieved by Kedah for two consecutive seasons in 2007 and 2008.

Kelantan captured the coveted cup for the second time after winning for the first time in 2010 when they defeated Negeri Sembilan 2-1 at National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

Despite being without their striker imported from Lebanon, Mohamed Ghaddar, the East Coast team managed to prevent ATM from winning the cup for the first time.

ATM or better known as ‘The Gladiators’ failed again as in their last final 46 years ago losing 0-1 to Selangor.

The last minute goal came from Kedah’s Shamin Alif in the 89th minute which sealed Sabah’s fate of playing in the Premier League, the second tier of Malaysian football.

Tuesday night’s match saw both teams scrambling to score in the second half as Sabah looked to reclaim their pride by making the cut for the Super League after suffering one of its worst ever season.

The action began 20 minutes into the second half when Kedah managed to put the ball into the back of the net, however, the goal was disallowed.

They opened their scoring in the 8th minute through Bobby Zamora with a tap in at close range after a header by Anton Ferdinand was blocked by Sabah selection keeper Irwan Jamil.

The English Premier League side started the match in commanding style and they had the first look at goal in the 5th minute when new signing Andy Johnson, put through by a clever pass from Park Ji Sung, had his shot pushed out for a corner by Irwan.

Two minutes later, Andy again had another chance to open the account but this time his shot was deflected by Sabah selection Singapore import Baihaki Kaizan for the corner that resulted in the opening goal.

The second half saw QPR coach Mark Hughes replacing all the players and within three minutes, Irwan pulled out a one handed save from a Djibril Cisse header.

But QPR, playing in their first match of their first Asian tour was not to be denied as Heidur Helguson blasted home from a Cisse cross.

Six minutes later, Jamie Mackie netted the third with a solo effort from close range.

French international Cisse finally found the net in the 73rd minute with a clever chip over Sabah’s Sukma hero Endre S.Tipay who had just come on three minutes earlier to replace Irwan.

Cisse added his second in the 81st minute with a powerful run towards goal before rounding Endre to tap home for the fifth goal.

A capacity crowd of more than 20,000 flooded the stadium to watch the match.

Cisse was later named the best player for the premier league team while Indonesian Octavianus Maniani was named the best player for the Sabah selection squad.

QPR manager Mark Hughes said in the press conference after the match that it was a very good workout for his team despite them having only six training sessions before the match.

“It was a perfect preparation for the players and it fulfilled the object of the tour.

The opposition was good and it was a very good test.”

He also praised the crowd and hoped they enjoyed the match.

Hughes added that he hoped the team will come back again in the future

That means it is back to the Premier League for Sabah after a short 2-year stay.

It was a historic feat for the team as they turned on the power in the extra time with three great goals that settled the absorbing tie.

The match went into extra time after 90 minutes of play when both teams failed to find the net.

And it was barely a minute after the start of the extra time when second half substitute Zulmansyah broke the deadlock with a first timer courtesy of a perfect weighted lop from Leopold Alfonso.

He then returned the favour six minutes later when his clever dummy freed Leopold before the latter dribbled past a defender and beat the keeper with an angled shot for the second goal.

The goal clearly broke Perak players spirit and Rozaimie who played in a deeper position in the second half had a simple task of placing in the third goal after a good work done by Zulmansyah who passed the ball to him from the centre.

It was a fantastic win for Sabah after their disappointment in the President Cup where they failed to get past the quarter-final stage.

To beat the President Cup Champion as well as the winner in the national Under-19 champion is a clear indication that they are among the best in the country.

Their superior physical fitness over their opponent was evident in the match and credit must be given to the two coaches Johnny Dominicus and Matasan Ahmad who dedicated so much effort to train the players.

Not forgetting also the tireless motivation given by team manager Alijus Sipil that paid handsome dividends to the success of the team.

The success of the state juniors also augur well for the future of Sabah football as all the players showed that they were equally good, if not better than some of the current senior players and the Sabah FA must act fast before other states scoop some of the players under their nose.