Players must show more confidence
Published on: Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Kota Kinabalu: El Hadji Diouf said the local players need to show more confidence if the team are to do well in the coming season following the team's successive 1-1 draw with Sime Darby on Monday night."We did well playing against one of the better teams in the Super League but still I think the lads need to have more self-confidence and they should take their own responsibility in order to do well in the season."We are not working hard enough and we need to work on our final passes more as well. However, it is only our fourth game played and I think the team will soon come together stronger.
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"Fingers crossed if we do not have a lot of injuries throughout the season, I think we can make it and we also need the fans to come and support us because sometimes it is going to be difficult and we need the fans to push us."On the match, he said the team managed well in the first half and the second half was better before conceding the goal."We just have to keep going and I said to the boys, day after day, game after game we should have at least 10 per cent progression."At half time, I told the lads that we have nothing to fear at home and we just need to play 100 per cent and give everything because this season we want to play all season undefeated and I think it is possible."
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On the goal he scored, he said it was a very good movement but he was more concerned on the leakage at the back."To me, it is not about scoring goals. Scoring is not the problem now. The problem now is if Abdoulaye (Faye) is not here, that is the bigger problem and we need to fix that as soon as possible."
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He also said Maxsius Musa needs to learn from his mistake that led to the goal conceded."When you are defending, you do not need to dive. You must stay on your feet. Maxsius is young and he has to learn. We need to learn from our mistakes. We got to talk to him and help him in training and next time he will do better."Meanwhile, it was another evenly match on Monday as the two teams were unable to mount any serious threats. Both only had one clear cut chance each in the first half with the visitors denied by the post in the 14th minute while Sabah's foreign import Eamon Zayed saw his shot blocked by Sime Darby's 'keeper two minutes later after a clever pass from Diouf.Sabah Rhinos came out better at the restart and had more of the ball possession. It was during one of the fast counterattacks that Diouf finished the move started by Maxsius in midfield when he passed the ball to Eamon and the latter's cross was flicked in beautifully by Diouf.Again, like the first encounter, the withdrawal of Faye later in the half saw the Rhinos team struggle to cope with his absence defensively.With 10 minutes to go Sime Darby's Khairul Anuar Shahrudin took advantage of the space left vacant on the left when Alto Linus was forced to leave the field temporarily with a knock.Khairul, after receiving the ball, managed to beat the on rushing Maxsius before he found the space and time to shoot past Fadzli Paat into the far corner.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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