PETALING JAYA: Kuala Lumpur Rovers are unbeaten in the M3 League after 14 matches, but they will shore up their defence against Super League side Terengganu in the Malaysia Cup.
The side based in the Klang Valley will employing a ‘Park the Bus’ (ultra defensive) approach to stifle the Turtles in the round of 16 match at the Cheras Football Stadium today.
Guiding light: KL Rovers will be banking on ex-international Amer Saidin to lead them in their Malaysia Cup match against Terengganu today.
KL Rovers coach Wan Mustapha Wan Ismail said his team may boast former internationals like centreback Amer Saidin, midfielder Firdaus Faudzi, and winger R. Gopinathan, but there are many amateur and part-timers too.
In the M3, KL Rovers currently top the table with 36 points and they qualify automatically for the Round of 16 stage for the Malaysia Cup as the two top teams.
The other team from M3 are Harini who take on Super League side Pahang today.
“We mostly have youngsters and part-timers. Our boys do e-hailing, courier service and university students. They are in it for the game, and I love what they have shown so far in the M3 League,” said Mustapha.
“We will play the football that we play usually but doubly harder. We want to show our unbeaten run is no fluke.
“Our opponents might think we will come with numbers at the back but we want to surprise them, that’s for sure. It is a dream come true for my boys to play in the Malaysia Cup.
“We believe the seniors like Faudzi, Amer and others can spur these boys with some belief they can go all the way.”
Amer is the team’s top scorer with seven goals, while winger Fahmi Sobri is the next with five.
It will be a tough task for KL Rovers as Terengganu boast top players like Bahraini midfielder Habib Haroon, Croatian striker Ivan Mamut and Haitian winger Sony Norde.
But Mustapha had this to say.
“Yes, they have top, top foreigners who can change a game but we have nothing to lose. We have prepared and make sure to show everyone that we are here to play football too.”
