Penang: Penang FC confirmed their spot in the FA Cup quarter-finals after defeating Melaka FC 2-1 in the return leg of their round-of-16 tie at the City Stadium here today.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, although Penang, who won the first-leg 1-0 at the Hang Jebat Stadium on September 2, eventually secured a 3-1 aggregate win, they gave their fans some anxious moments, including allowing Melaka to score first today. Kpah Sherman silenced the home fans in the 35th minute when he lashed home a right footer after receiving a cross from Mohd Azwan Aripin. The two teams went into the break with the aggregate score tied at 1-1.
Luckily for the Penang fans, their team finally came alive late in the second half, with skipper Stefano Brundo finding the net in the 74th minute with a powerful free kick from outside the box. New import striker Enzo Celestine then turned hero for Penang when he netted the winner late in the game, sending the home fans into wild celebrations.
Having checked into the FA Cup quarter-finals, Penang FC head coach Wan Rohaimi Wan Ismail wants his men to turn their attention to their Super League match against Kelantan Red Warrior FC on Saturday (September 12), with the islanders still looking for their first win and first goal in this season's campaign. A win over Kelantan, he hopes, will set them up nicely for their FA Cup last eight clash against giants Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT).
In his post-match press conference after the win over Melaka, Wan Rohaimi said, "We know JDT are a strong team, an outstanding side, but we won't just roll over. We will fight till the end. But, for me, the important thing is the next Super League match (against Kelantan) because we have yet to win a match, or even score a goal. So, this Saturday's match against Kelantan is our priority, not the FA Cup quarter-final."
Melaka FC head coach E. Elavarasan, who commended Penang on their victory, said he too will shift his attention to the Super League and urged his men not to dwell on today's defeat. "After being dumped from the FA Cup, we need to shift our focus to the Super League because we have a few tough outings awaiting us, starting with the home game against Kuching City FC on Saturday (September 12)," he said.