Super League: Wan Rohaimi Satisfied With Team’s Fighting Spirit Despite Defeat

ISKANDAR PUTERI, Sept 12 (Bernama) -- Penang FC head coach Wan Rohaimi Wan Ismail expressed satisfaction with his players’ fighting spirit despite a 0-6 defeat to Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) in their Super League clash at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium last night.

He admitted, however, that the Harimau Kumbang squad struggled to cope with the relentless pressure from the home side in the first half, which saw them concede five goals.

“Overall, I would say we had two very different performances - one in the first half and another in the second. We were slow to get into the rhythm of the game, and against a team like JDT, you will be punished for that,” he said.

“We were hit with five goals in the first 45 minutes. But at halftime, I reminded the players not to give up, otherwise we might concede even more. I urged them to go all out in the second half, and they showed better spirit after the break,” he added at the post-match press conference.

Wan Rohaimi noted that tactical adjustments after the break made his side more stable and enabled them to create several attacking opportunities.

He added that in the second half, once the team adjusted its strategy, the players began to look more composed - they managed to control the situation and create attacking moves, and those at the back also appeared more stable.

“Overall, I am satisfied with my players’ performance, but there are still many aspects that need improvement, particularly in decision-making and team organisation.

Commenting on Dylan Wenzel Halls’ 54th-minute effort that was ruled out, Wan Rohaimi said he accepted the referee’s decision, which deemed there had been a foul in the build-up.

“Nothing much to comment on the disallowed goal. Perhaps in the referee’s view, there was contact between our player and the goalkeeper. We accept that - no problem,” he said.

-- BERNAMA