PETALING JAYA: Penang’s talisman Dylan Wenzel-Halls battled through injury but could not inspire his side to Challenge Cup glory as Sabah clinched a 4-3 penalty shootout win in a gripping final at Likas Stadium on Sunday.
Clearly below his best, Wenzel-Halls still delivered a committed shift before being substituted in the second half of extra time, earning praise from coach Wan Rohaimi Wan Ismail.
“Dylan played with an injury and couldn’t perform at his best, but he still gave everything,” said Rohaimi.
“He is an important player for us in creating goals. The injury limited him, but the team worked hard to cover for him in some situations.”
The final ended 1-1 on aggregate over two legs, with neither side able to break the deadlock in regulation or extra time, forcing the match into a penalty shootout, where Sabah finally won their first Cup in 31 years.
Penang had the better chances during normal time but failed to capitalise, with Ivorian striker Tchetche Kipre missing three clear opportunities that could have changed the outcome.
“It was a good game and both teams fought hard, but football is about goals and we lacked that today,” said Rohaimi. “We created chances but couldn’t finish. If we had taken one, especially through Tchetche, the result might have been different. We have had finishing problems since the start of the season and this is something we must improve in our remaining matches.”
While Penang slumped, Sabah coach Juan Torres Garrido hailed his players’ resilience in a tense and emotional final.
“We are very happy to win the trophy, especially at home. It has been a difficult season, so this gives the players new motivation,” said Garrido.
“We started well but lost control for a period. However, the players kept believing, and the support from our fans made a big difference, especially in the penalty shootout.”
