Why? According to Sime Darby FC head coach Ismail Zakaria, upsets do happen at the beginning of the season. He shares with Bola Pantai Timur, " Teams have not stabilised yet and are looking for rhythm. Seemingly stronger teams tend to be knocked out if they take their opponents too lightly or if they have yet to gel."
Sime Darby, last year's quarter-finalist and finalist in 2012, aims to go further this season. Ismail says," ATM is a big obstacle and it will not be easy. We shall try our best and we can do it if the players execute their tasks well." Sime Darby will be without Wisdom Agblexo due to hamstring.
Meanwhile ATM FA head coach B Sathianathan says his team should have kept the ball better after Sarawak changed their game plans using long balls in the second half in their first Super League match last Saturday. He adds, "But it was only our first game. Overall I was satisfied with the players. For tonight's FA Cup match against Sime Darby, we have a 50:50 chance. They are a hardworking team. "
PBAPP FC head coach Yunus Alif agrees that there will be upsets in the FA Cup.
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| Yunus Alif: Underdog looking for a scalp |
He informs Bola Pantai Timur, " I'm happy with an underdog tag. However after our recent friendlies, I should say our club is one of the minnows who can do that." Not underestimating any teams though, he stresses, "All the teams that we face will be tough."
Defending champion Kelantan who have a bye in the first round is putting an equal focus to the FA Cup. Head coach Steve Darby shares with Bola Pantai Timur, " TRW are equally focused. We have weekly (or twice weekly) targets of winning every game we play in. Then the big targets will come."
However he admits he knows very little of some of the FAM teams in the Cup. He adds, " So I have no idea about shocks. I am only concerned about Sabah V Kuantan as we play the winner in the next round."
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| Steve Darby: Equal focus |
According to Steve, unpredictability, enthusiasm, nothing to lose battle cry and perhaps a sepcial foreigner are usually the hallmarks of successful underdogs.
Head coach for neighbouring T-Team, Mohd Azraai Khor Abdullah, whose team will face UiTM today quips, " My players are in good spirit despite the first Super League defeat to Selangor. We have to win today in order to proceed to the next stage." Whilst T-Team has lodged a complaint to FAM on the "umplayable" pitch at the MBPJ stadium, he notes, " A vital lesson we learned from that match is to make full use of the chances available to us. As such to night we shall try not to fumble and do it right."
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| Azraai: Seize chances, do it right |
Penang FA coach K Devan says one or a few conditions facilitate an upset.
He shares with Bola Pantai Timur, " When the supposedly stronger team lacks preparation, if they are over-confident playing at home, take their opponents too lightly or if they make mistakes, then the so-called minnows can create upsets."
For tonight's match against Sarawak, he notes that Penang will be playing a "very tough game" against a team who will want to win their first match at home, after losing their first Super League match against ATM. He adds that not only the Sarawak coach and many of their players have been together for a long time, they have also been reinforced with new strengths.
Still Devan stresses, " Sarawak is the better side. They already played the new season's first match and are in a better condition to settle down. However Penang will try to raise our game and give them a good fight. Although we are a little bit nervous as it is our first game, we have prepared and we have nothing to lose."
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