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Terengganu were simply lucky to salvage a point against Selangor at the Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah Stadium tonight. A Fabio Flor goal at the end of normal time gave a near capacity crowd something to smile about after seeing their beloved Turtle struggled for almost the whole duration of the match.

Terengganu kicked-off the match without the suspended Gleisson Freire, after the Brazillian was harshly sent off during the match against the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) which Terengganu lost 4-2. This match was one they simply could not afford to lose in order to stay in the hunt for the Super League title.

The Red Giant who won against PDRM on Saturday fired an early warning after Terengganu skipper Mohd Marzuki Yusof took too much time on the ball and was robbed by Safee Sali. The national striker shot straight at Mohd Sharbinee Alawee who found the shot was too hot to handle. To the goalkeeper’s relief the ball went over the bar.

However, the young custodian could do nothing in the 7^th minute when his defenders went to sleep as a free-kick was floated into the box. Selangor foreign striker Frank Seator rose unchallenged to nod the ball home at the far post. The stadium went into silent mode. 

Terengganu almost respond immediately by forcing a corner. Mohd Norfarhan Mohamad found the ball at his feet from just a couple of metres out from the Selangor goal but he hooked the ball high over the bar. The home side continued their pressure and after Jocian Bento dos Anjos was fouled, Zairo Anuar Zailani floated the ball into the box. Both Mohd Saufee Ibrahim and Flor went for the ball, but it was the former who made the connection which went just a bit too high.

Dos Anjos became the most fouled man on the pitch as Selangor simply tried to kill off the match by not letting Terengganu finding any sort of rhythm. When the Brazillian went down again in the 11^th minute, referee Subkhiddin finally reached for his pocket and showed the offender the yellow card. The subsequent free-kick by Zairo was on target but Megat Amir Faisal in the Selangor goal had it covered and gathered safely in his second attempt. 

The former Penang custodian also did not have any trouble gathering Farhan’s deflected shot a minute later. Seator whose physical presence gave much trouble to the Terengganu back-line went overboard with his elbow as he challenged for a high ball with Flor. 

If Coach Yunus Alif had hoped that the break would freshen up his charges, he was in for a surprise. Terengganu players looked lethargic and their first touch was very poor, as if this was their first match of the season. Selangor came with a plan to spoil Terengganu’s hope of collecting full points but their coach Dollah Salleh must be thanking the Terengganu players for their almost comedic defending which almost took the match beyond them. 

Sharbinee had to make two good saves, coming out well to gather at Safee’s feet in the 23^rd minute after the striker got through by playing a quick one-two with Indra-Putra Mahyuddin at the edge of the box. Three minutes later Seator made the most of the lucky deflection that came his way but Sharbinee dived low to push the ball away from danger. 

Left-back Mohd Shahrul Ezrain was having a nightmare match and after losing the ball in the 35^th minute to Safee was subsequently nut-megged, much to the disappointment of the Terengganu fans who saw the incident. It seemed the crowd restlessness with the performance of the team was being transferred to the players who seemed to be unable to string two passes together. 

In added time before the break, Terengganu were nearly given a lifeline when a deflection put Hisham though but Megat Amir bravely dived at his feet to preserve his team lead going to the dressing room. 

The visitors kicked off the second half and went for the kill almost immediately. Sharbinee had to be alert and made a decent save at his near post which led  to the first of three subsequent fruitless corners. 

In the 56^th minute Farhan sent in a wonderful cross from the right and Mohd Saufee rose high to make a good connection. The crowd gasped as the ball hit the bar with Megat Faisal was completely beaten. Had the effort breach the Selangor goal, it would not have counted anyway as the referee assistant had raised his flag for off-side. 

Then on the hour mark Selangor defence committed an error which led to an opening for Mohd Ashaari Shamsuddin. Unfortunately, with just Megat Faisal to beat he put his effort inches wide of the wrong side of the far post. Many would have thought it would not going to be Terengganu’s night. Coach Yunus made his first change by taking off Saufee and replacing him with Abdul Manaf Mamat. 

Five minutes later a foul by Flor saw Subkhiddin awarding Selangor a free-kick in a dangerous position. Fortunately for Terengganu, it missed Sharbinee’s goal, even though it was not much. In the 67^th minute Mohd Mohaimeen was yellow carded after his attempt to receive a weak pass from Manaf failed. Yunus finally decided to end Ezrain misery by taking him off and Ahmad Shahril Zakaria. 

In the 69^th minute, yet another foul on Dos Anjos gave Zairo another chance to try from his favourite position. Much to the disappointment of the crowd, the midfielder could only hit the wall and Selangor felt they are nearer to bringing all three points back to the west coast. The much fouled Dos Anjos was taken off with fifteen minutes to go and in his place came Ismail Faruqi Ashaari. 

With twelve minutes to go, Norfarhan lost the ball in the Selangor’s half and the Red Giant attack forced Flor into committing an error. However Sharbinee did well to prevent Seator’s stiff shot from going into the net, giving hopes still to the crowd which stayed on even though there were quite a number of them seen making their way towards the exits. 

Terengganu began to put some pressure on Selangor and Ismail Faruqi saw his hard work on the right went to waste after nobody attack his cross, giving Megat Faisal the easiest task of gathering the ball safely. With the clock ticking away, Terengganu began to put some decent passes and forced Selangor to concede a corner. Zairo’s delivery was perfect for Flor but his header came off a Selangor defender for another corner on the other side. 

Zairo’s delivery was perfect again, this time at the near post and Flor arrived a split second earlier than Megat Faisal to connect with the ball and the stadium erupted with joy as it hit the back of the net. 

Admittedly, to most fans the goal felt like a winner when it was really just an equaliser. The point tonight would not put us back on the top of the table but it should serve as a sharp reminder that a huge improvement is in order for the Turtles in their next match.