It took Romel 161 minutes of season 2022 to open his accounts this year, with only his second start of the season in Saturday’s fixture at home against Sabah, and just 53 minutes to double that, scoring both goals in the City Boys’ victory.
Despite head coach Bojan regularly reminding us that the Colombian remains on the mend from his medial collateral ligament injury sustained during the victorious Malaysia Cup final last November. Romel, who Bojan converted from central midfield to go upfront due to injuries then affecting the strikeforce, showed he has not lost his instinct and appetite for goals.
Though he may still seem a little rough around the edges, there was that football mind of his that kept putting him in positions to score, even during the 3-0 Super League loss at home to Johor DT, when he had that big chance to level from Paulo Josue’s cross while the southerners were leading 1-0 after coming on as a halftime substitute. Then against Melaka Utd also in Cheras, he had 3 big chances in his 81 minutes, but just could not find the back of the net, until Sabah.
The Voice of The City Boys took the opportunity to throw some questions at the 24 year old makeshift striker, who topped the scoring charts in the Malaysia Cup, and ended the previous year with 15 goals under his belt.
On the injury :
“It has been very difficult for me to be injured because it is the first time it has happened to me, I really needed to play again to feel good because mentally I felt very bad before.”
On the Sabah game :
“I think it was a good game for the whole team, we knew it was a difficult game because they have good players but we play(ed) at home and (over) here we become very strong. We had the obligation to win to continue climbing the table.”
On his first goals of the season :
Very happy, I think that little by little, I am adapting to play in this new position and as a striker now I feel obliged to score and give the best to help my team.”
To read the match report of KL City vs Sabah on 16/4/2022 (Super League), please click, https://kualalumpurfootball.com/2022/04/18/rhinos-gunned-down-in-cheras-hunter-romel-delivers-the-kill/
To watch the highlights of this match, please click https://youtu.be/7x2gPODnMmg
To watch the complete match, please click https://youtu.be/glcYsfHJnN4