PETALING JAYA: Kelantan captain Ifedayo Olusegun rolled back the years with a classic poacher’s display by scoring twice in the first 15 minutes to lead the Red Warriors to a 3-1 win over Kuala Lumpur in the FA Cup round-of-16 first-leg tie at the Sultan Mohd IV Stadium on Monday.
The Nigerian, fondly known as Dayo and who now holds Bahraini citizenship, struck in the fourth minute after pouncing on a wayward back pass from KL’s Ukrainian defender Dimitro Lytvyn and slotting past goalkeeper Quincy Kammeraad.
Olusegun doubled his tally soon after, reacting quickest to Kammeraad’s spill from T. Saravanan’s volley to stab home from close range. Sean Selvaraj added Kelantan’s third just after the hour mark before substitute Syamer Kutty Abba volleyed home a late lifeline for KL.
For Olusegun, whose career in Malaysia has seen him feature for Felda United, Selangor, Melaka, Kedah and Police, the win was about more than just his goals.
“It’s not just about my goals. It’s about the improvement we’ve made as a team. Defensively, in midfield, going forward – there’s more stability now compared to our first match against Kuching. That’s why we could punish Kuala Lumpur,” said the 34-year-old attacker.
Olusegun, the Super League’s top scorer in 2020 and 2021 and third on the all-time chart with 90 goals, emphasised the importance of team chemistry in Kelantan’s resurgence.
“The harmony in the squad is very good. We’ve only been together a few weeks but the dressing room is positive.
“The boys are really bonding, speaking with each other, working things out. It’s a big family we are building here and that’s important for us.”
He admitted Kelantan’s poor start to the Super League season, including a 0-4 thrashing by Kuching City, had been a test but one the players had embraced.
“Although we didn’t start well, it hasn’t broken our spirit. We are getting better each week. As captain, I don’t have to do much to keep the team together – the players are already supporting each other. It’s getting better and today’s result shows that.”
Looking ahead, Olusegun urged caution even as Kelantan take a two-goal cushion into the second leg.
“It’s still too early to dream about titles or top-three finishes,” he stressed.
“Right now, it’s about finding balance and building a proper team. Maybe later in the season we’ll see how far we can go – maybe top four, top five, maybe even a cup final. But today, it’s about improving game by game.”
He also acknowledged the challenge of Kelantan’s upcoming fixtures.
“Sabah, for example, are one of the best teams in the league these past two, three seasons. We respect that. We just want to be at our best and see where we can go. The important thing is to keep improving our tactical chemistry.”
