PETALING JAYA: A mountain too high? Perhaps. But Terengganu centreback Safwan Mazlan still believes they can reach the summit.
Terengganu suffered a 0-4 defeat to Johor Darul Ta’zim in the first leg of the Malaysia Cup semi-finals at the Sultan Mizan Stadium on Jan 17.
With such a commanding lead, the odds heavily favour the Southern Tigers to secure a fourth consecutive final appearance when they host the second leg at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri tomorrow.
The 22-year-old Safwan refuses to throw in the towel.
He insists that Terengganu still have another 90 minutes to fight for a place in the final once again.
In 2023, Terengganu reached the Malaysia Cup final but fell 1-3 to JDT at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
“In football, anything can happen. As long as there’s still a chance, we will keep fighting,” said Safwan, who has earned three national caps.
We have prepared a lot tactically and have tried to fix the weaknesses, that showed from the previous matches against JDT. The aggregate is big, but we will show effort.”
“We believe in our coaching staff, led by Badrul Afzan (Razali), and the arrival of former Terengganu and national leftback Rosdi (Talib) as one of his assistants has further strengthened our preparations.”
Despite the daunting challenge ahead, Safwan remains optimistic, especially after their narrow 0-1 loss to JDT in a Super League match last week, where they put up a strong fight.
A key figure in Terengganu’s defence, Safwan has played 26 games across all competitions this season.
His versatility makes him a valuable asset for coach Badrul, as he is capable of playing as a centreback, rightback and leftback.
Throughout the season, the Turtles have relied on an all-local backline, with Safwan, centrebacks Ubaidullah Samsul Fazili, Shahrul Nizam Ros Hasni and rightback Azam Azmi Murad consistently featuring in the defensive unit.
Safwan knows he also has to step up in the absence of defensive midfielder Akram Mahinan, who is suspended after collecting two yellow cards.
Securing a place in the final will be an uphill battle for Terengganu but with players like Safwan leading the charge, nothing is impossible.
