PETALING JAYA: A mouth-watering Malaysia Games (Sukma) football final is in store at the Petaling Jaya Stadium, with a full house expected at the Petaling Jaya Stadium today.
And centreback D. Moses Raj (pic) is ready to play a commanding role to help the hosts land their first gold since 1998.
The 20-year-old expects a battle down to the wire against the Johoreans, who have the Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) winning mentality in them.
“Johor have many national team players, including those I have played alongside and some from the junior batches.
“We can expect a massive battle for gold,’’ said Moses.
Both finalists booked their place in the final with identical wins on Thursday.
Johor thrashed Perak 4-0 at the Petaling Jaya Stadium, while Selangor hammered Pahang 4-0 at the UiTM Stadium in Shah Alam.
Moses said the occasion carries extra weight given the stature of both clubs.
“Both are big states in football. So, the players are used to playing in front of a large crowd and feeding off the environment and supporters,” he said.
He added that the chance to end a long wait for for the Sukma football gold will give Selangor extra motivation.
“Selangor last won the gold in 1998. So we’re looking forward with high hopes to end that wait now. Playing on our home ground on this occasion makes me really excited, and we will fight with 100 per cent commitment.’’
Meanwhile, Johor coach Pedro Collado Celda said he has given his players time to recover well after the semi-finals as they hope to spoil Selangor’s party.
“The players had a good rest after their impressive win over Perak in the semi-finals. Now they’re focused on the next goal – bring the gold back to Johor.’’
