Kota Kinabalu: Sabah FC fired blanks in their Super League match against Penang FC and had to settle for a goalless draw at Likas Stadium on Sunday.
Both teams applied a cautious approach in the season opener and were unable to create any real scoring chances in the opening 45 minutes.
Sabah FC started the second half with more urgency.
Ramon Machado, who was deemed unfit to start earlier, thrice had chances to find the net from close range.
The first was denied by Penang FC’s goalkeeper Sikh Izhan Sikh Azman and the other two were blocked by the defenders.
Sabah FC also had one penalty claim denied by match officials when an attempt by Saddil Ramdani to cross saw the ball clearly hit the arm of a Penang FC player towards the end of normal time.
Datuk Ong Kim Swee blamed poor finishing for the team’s failure to take all three points.
“We had our chances but the finishing was not there.
“We controlled the game well, and it was not easy to play against Penang who came here with the intention to get a point and they got it.
“We need to improve our game especially in finishing in the next game against Kelantan which also will not be easy,” he said after the game.
Some 4,000 fans turned out for the match and Sabah FC’s next match is away to Kelantan Darul Naim FC at Sultan Mohammad IV Stadium on May 17 followed by another home tie against Kuching City FC on May 25.
Meanwhile, before the start of the match, Sabah FC’s skipper Park Taesu was presented with a trophy by MFL board member Joeharu Ayub after being voted as one of the best 11 players for the 2023 season by fans at the National Football Awards held last month.
