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KELANTAN 0

TERENGGANU 1 Zairo Anwar Zailani 37

Terengganu maintained their new found momentum to the quarter final of the 2008 Malaysia Cup with a hard fought derby victory over East Coast rival Kelantan at the Sultan Mohamad IV Stadium last night. The single goal that seperated the two sides was scored by Zairo Anwar Zailani who struck in the 37^th minute after a persistent play on the right flank by Jocian Bento dos Anjos.

Prior to the match, the home fans’ confidence was on a high, especially after they have recorded a 2-1 win in Kuala Terengganu in the first round of matches and have been unbeaten at home all season.

The match kicked-off in a frantic manner with Kelantan pressing hard to find an early goal to settle their nerve. The crowd jumped in unison in the 3^rd minute when a Kelantan player was tackled inside the box but the referee deemed it was clean.

Terengganu nippy striker Che Hishamuddin, playing in front of his hometown crowd was eager to show his stuff. In the fifth minute he stole the ball on the left and whipped in a low ball into the penalty area. However there was no takers.

The visitors began to assert control in midfield. Another pass saw Liew Kit Kong broke free on the left and delivered a good cross but Abdul Manaf Mamat could not connect with the ball.

Kelantan responded well with a number of shots at Terengganu goal but none was really giving goalkeeper Mohamad Sharbini Allawee any trouble at all. The had their best chance in the 24^th minute when Mammadao’s volley from the right forced Sharbini into making a good save, pushing the ball onto the bar for a fruitless corner.

A wonderful crossfield ball from Zairo in the 27^th minute found Dos Anjos on the right. The Brazilian decided to try his luck from distance but his effort was way above the bar. Then from a free-kick, Abdul Manaf Mamat headed over from just three metres out. Che Hishamuddin put another effort on target on the half hourmark but it was comfortable for the Kelantan goalkeeper.

Then Sharbinee sufferred an injury while gathering an overhit pass which gave the Terengganu bench a bit of a concern. Terengganu skipper Marzuki Yusof put up a commanding performance at the heart of the Turtles’ defence and his inspirational display encouraged his team-mates to follow suit.

With seven minutes before the interval, Dos Anjos chased what seemed to be an overhit pass. But he managed to reach it and kept it in play. As Kelantan players began to fall back to defend Dos Anjos found Zairo at the edge of the box. The midfielder controlled the ball with his first touch and the second one saw him unleash a ferocious shot past the Kelantan goalkeeper into the back of the net.

The goal silenced the crowd for a while. But they began to roar their team again in an effort to inspire their team to find the equaliser. However, Kelantan players were unable to find their way past the Terengganu defence.

The crowd hopes were raised when Sharbinee had to be taken off and Zairee Hafizie came on taking his place between the posts. However they were continuously to be dissappointed as Kelantan failed to create any opening to really test the young custodian who helped Terengganu to win the gold medal at the recently concluded SUKMA.

It was the same story in the second half when Kelantan continued to display their lack of creativity and idea on how to beat the Terengganu defence. The crowd which already showed their agitation in the first half were now began to turn unruly. A flash point between a fullback Mohamad Mohaimeen and a Kelantan players saw almost everybody on the pitch joining the melee.

However, order was restored and play was resumed a few minutes later.

Terengganu created a few chances of their own through quick counter-attacks but Che Hishamuddin and Abdul Manaf failed to get any power behind their shots despite them being on target.

Despite dominating possession, Kelantan were never really looked like breaching the Terengganu defence and in the end the Turtles held on for the precious three points which left the group’s race for the place in the last eight wide open between them, Kelantan, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan.

But for the small number of Terengganu fans who made the short journey north, it was a worthwhile one.

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