Posted at 05:13h in THE VOICE OF CITY BOYS
The FA Cup competition, after being cancelled in 2020 and not held in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, makes a roaring return to the Malaysian Football League calendar this season.
The City Boys will be facing M3 side Langkawi City FC, who are making their second appearance in the FA Cup, following their debut in 2019, then known as Langkawi Glory United. In their sole appearance, the islanders exited at the preliminary stage. The semi-professional outfit founded in 2017 in Shah Alam, Selangor, and relocated to Langkawi two years later, are currently unbeaten in the Amateur Football League, sitting in the third position of Group A, winning one and drawing the other. Currently coached by an experienced hand, Abdullah Hassan, who was also involved in the past with Kedah and Perlis, the Island Boys as they are nicknamed, finished the first M3 League in 2019 in 12th position, just escaping relegation in the 14 team competition. The league was cancelled in 2021 and 2020, it was abandoned after two rounds, for the same reasons as the FA Cup. At the point of abandonment, Langkawi City had 4 points from a win and a draw.
This Sunday’s meeting at home will be the first encounter between our city squad and their city namesakes from the resort island, more known as one of the top holiday destinations in the world.
After a couple of disappointing results in the Super League and the Charity Cup loss, there is a feeling that our City Boys have yet to get started this season. We will be looking to bounce back from all this with a convincing win as club captain, Paulo Josue, told The Voice of City Boys, “We are disappointed with the results, mostly because we know how good we are and how far we can go! For now, we need to bring back our confidence and make sure we do a great job this Sunday with a great win.”
Following the Malaysia Cup win last December, expectations weigh heavy on the Red and White this season, and that only comes with the territory of success. It is not the start anyone hoped for, but head coach Bojan urged caution and not to take victory for granted. He wanted the boys to stay focused on the task at hand regardless of the opponent. Speaking to The Voice of City Boys, Bojan said “The FA Cup is a tricky tournament, there are no favourites. We take this very seriously, and in the football world, any knockout match can spring surprises.”. Asked if there would be opportunities for other players who have not featured or have not played much thus far, the Croatian added “We will rest a few players but the players who are playing knows what I want and they have to give their best.”
The first round FA Cup fixture between Kuala Lumpur City and Langkawi City is on Sunday (today), March 13, 2020, at 9 pm (2100hrs), in Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium, Bandar Tun Razak, Cheras.
Tickets for the FA Cup match against Langkawi City FC is available at the following link, https://www.tickethotline.com.my/events/3/PIALA%20FA
For Season Ticket Holders (B2 City Boys), enjoy 20% off regular ticket prices for your friends and/or family. (Limited to a maximum of 4 tickets per transaction. Contact Shamim for details)