PETALING JAYA: Terengganu’s two new imports from Tajikistan, Ehson Panshanbe and Shervoni Mabatshoev, did not take long to win over the Turtles’ supporters after playing key roles in a 1-0 Super League win over Brunei on Tuesday.
Terengganu coach Tengku Hazman Raja Hassan said he was pleased with the commitment shown by the two new signings despite having been with the team for only a few days.
Their encouraging performances also brought relief to the coach and the team following the departure of previous import Nurillo Tukhtasinov, who opted to return to Uzbekistan, while Yann Mabella remains sidelined after suffering a serious meniscus injury and a chronic medial collateral ligament injury to the knee.
The match against Brunei at the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium in Gong Badak saw Engku Muhammad Nur Shakir Yaacob score the only goal of the game in the 15th minute.
Although there were no further goals, Hazman was satisfied with the contribution of the two new imports and the overall commitment of the players in securing all three points for Terengganu.
“Overall, we are satisfied with the style of play shown by the two new imports from Tajikistan even though it was their first match with Terengganu.
“I felt midfielder Panshanbe adapted well to his teammates despite having only gone through a few training sessions.
“However, striker Mabatshoev is still finding his rhythm and that needs to be improved, but this is normal for any team, especially since he is new and will naturally need some time.
“Overall, we are pleased with the performances of both players, as well as the other players who clearly understood the roles assigned to them,” said Hazman.
At the Brunei camp, head coach Jamie McAllister admitted his disappointment after his side struggled in attack and failed to score.
“We lacked sharpness in the attacking department. We created a few chances and managed to get past the home side’s defence, but our finishing was poor and that ultimately saw us return home empty-handed,” said McAllister.
The victory lifted Terengganu to fifth place in the Super League standings with 24 points, while Brunei slipped to seventh on 17 points.
