Kedah banking on hot Chidi

GEORGE TOWN: Premier League champions Kedah are looking to their fit-again striker Chidi Edeh for inspiration and goals in their Malaysia Cup Group A match against Lions XII on Saturday.

The Red Eagles’ top scorer this year with 11 goals, the Nigerian had to battle a persistent groin injury in the second half of the league campaign.

Kedah’s fortunes on the pitch were in direct relation to their 27-year-old chief striker’s fitness.

The team were brilliant when Edeh was leading their frontline, and struggled for goals during his frequent absences through injury.

Now, Kedah coach Tan Cheng Hoe believes that Edeh has finally put the injury woes behind him and is ready to shine in the Malaysia Cup.

“Finally, Chidi is fully recovered. He is important to the team, and will be vital for our hopes to get past the group stage,” said Cheng Hoe.

“But Chidi alone cannot make the difference on the field. Kedah are not a one-man team, and everybody needs to play their part well if we are to do well in Group A.”

Besides Kedah and Lions XII, Terengganu and Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) II are the other teams in the group.

Cheng Hoe is wary about Kedah playing on the Jalan Besar artificial pitch for the first time this year.

Lions XII have not lost at home this season, having won eight and drawn three of their Super League matches there.

“The Lions have a huge advantage because they are used to the speed and bounce of the ball on their pitch. Many visiting teams have encountered problems playing in Jalan Besar. It will be different to what my players are used to, and much will depend on how fast we adapt to the playing conditions. We will be in trouble if we cannot adjust quickly,” said the Kedah coach.

Kedah head to Singapore without two regulars – injured defender Syazwan Tajuddin and South Korean midfielder Bang Seung-hwan, who begins his two-match suspension for collecting his sixth booking during the league’s final match.

Cheng Hoe picks Terengganu as the favourites in the group, and rates Kedah as capable of finishing above Lions XII for the other quarter-final berth.

“Group A is quite balanced with all four teams having a chance to make the last eight. Terengganu are the form team, having won eight of their final nine Super League games. If they can bring the same kind of form into the Malaysia Cup, they will be tough to beat.

“Our target is to get a top-two finish in the group. But we cannot afford to think about the quarter-final yet, and need to take it one match at a time.”

Last year, Kedah were the surprise package in the Malaysia Cup after ousting giants Kelantan 4-3 on aggregate in the quarter-finals. The Red Eagles went down 6-3 on aggregate to eventual champions Pahang in the last four.