Denny Dai’al showing promise for Sarawak FA
April 1, 2019
Although it may be just one match, but Sarawak FA’s ability to hold mighty Johor Darul Ta’ zim II (JDT II) at Larkin is a very promising start for the new man in charge Denny Dai’al.
JDT II came into the match as league leaders and were expected to run over the Sarawak side without much problems.
Their undefeated streak in the Liga Premier only enforced this fact with many Sarawak fans already counting their blessings if Sarawak were not hammered when they end the match at Larkin.
But something different happened in Larkin on Saturday night.
Not only did Sarawak fought out a draw against JDTII, the team based in Kuching also controlled much of the match with fans attending praising the new tactical approach of Sarawak.
While JDT scored in the 11th minute to put them ahead in the match, what came after was likely unexpected.
Sarawak came at JDT II’s goal mouth with vicious raids that had them defending countless attacks.
The attacks were not only plenty, but also whiskers away from the intended target with Haziq Nadzli forced to work extra hard to produce saves which perhaps also saved his side the blushes of the night.
To add salt to the whole situation was how Denny had brilliantly planned out a tactic that made both Kiko Insa and Bruno Soares, the import defenders of JDT II, look largely ineffective as the likes of Mohamad Alif Hassan, Bobby Gozales and Hudson Dias continue to break free of their defensive plan.
In the 70th minute, Haziq finally made an error in the box when he scooped Bobby’s leg and that resulted in Hudson calmly slotting in the penalty kick.
Denny was seen asking his boys to work harder to find the winner and the raids on JDT II’s goal continued until the match ended with Denny proving that Sarawak is a different side under his care.
From a fans’ perspective, the result is important because it shows that Sarawak can challenge bigger teams like JDT II, and the change had come under the new interim head coach which could pull ‘a Solskjaer’.
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This article is brought to us by our Sports Writers Club resident columnist – Cyril Dason.
