Kota Kinabalu: Sabah FC II are searching for their first victory in the MFL Cup against KL City Extension at Likas Stadium this evening (Tuesday) starting at 7.30pm.
Head coach Billyton Vun is confident the team will deliver the goods following their spirited display in the 2-3 loss to Selangor U23, who are second in the table in the previous match on December 16.
He said the players must build on the momentum and avoid making any unforced errors.
“I am optimistic that this team will be able to perform well and get a positive result, as long as each player is able to maintain their fighting spirit as shown in the match against Selangor.
“They had proved that they could keep up with their much stronger opponents until the 90th minute, but unfortunately, simple mistakes cost us the game.
“Therefore, I hope they can stay focused and the opening minutes will be vital. We must try our best to find the goal and avoid conceding early.
“If the players can overcome the nervousness in the 15-minute time frame, it can help to determine how well the team fare in the remaining minutes in the match,” he said on Monday.
He added they have done their best in their preparation for the match, their 17th of the season.
“I can say that it is going smoothly in training. However, the final outcome will very much depend on the attitude of each team member on the pitch.”
He also called on the fans to back the team despite their poor results to date.
“As the 12th player to the team, the support of our fans will bring significant impact. I hope the supporters will remain positive and continue to give encouragement and support to Sabah FC II.”
Sabah FC II are currently at the bottom of the 13-team table with only three points from three draws and 13 losses after 16 matches played.
Billyton, who was the assistant coach at the start of the season, was assigned to take over the job in early December from Alto Linus who was recalled by the senior team following the departure of Datuk Ong Kim Swee.
