Despite a good start to the 2019 group stage with a 2-2 draw against Selangor, the last two matches has got Nidzam Jamil back in the worry zone once again. The latest a 1-3 reverse suffered at the hands of Melaka at Tun Abdul Razak Stadium left them trailing behind three other teams in the group at the halfway stage.
Deevan Raj strucked an unstoppable shot from range in the 12th minute before Luka Milunovic nodded one in 18 minutes later. The winger Deevan finished from close range in the 61st minute to give visitors Melaka a very comfortable lead. Khairul Amri reduced the deficit with 16 minute left to play but it was too little too late and Nidzam was non too pleased with what he saw.
"There are certain period of time where we play well and there are certain period of time where we are slow to react. In football, you cannot have these phases. You need to be concentrated. I feel Melaka were good but we allowed them to do that. So we need to improve next time.
"In the Malaysia Cup after three matches we only have a point, so mathematically we only have a 50% chance of going through now. So we have to hope for other teams to lose points as well," said Nidzam after the match.
Felda only narrowly escaped relegation from the Super League on the final day of the season and reached the semi-final of the FA Cup earlier this year. However the Malaysia Cup is fast proving to be a very different story for The Fighters.
Nidzam knows his team has to start picking up points quickly or face the consequence of an early end to the 2019 season. The young coach will be trawling through the video recording to prepare his team ahead of the return fixture against Melaka on August 24.
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