PETALING JAYA: Nur Azfar Fikri Azhar has made a strong case for a regular starting spot at Star City after firing a hattrick in their 5-2 Super League win over Kelantan at the Sultan Mohd IV Stadium on Friday.
The 26-year-old winger, fondly known as Kaka, had come off the bench in Star City’s previous six matches in all competitions before coach Mehmet Durakovic handed him a start in Kota Baru.
Azfar repaid that faith in style, scoring in the 13th, 46th and 60th minutes. Brazilian midfielder Pedro Santos and striker Douglas Oliveira added the other goals in the 45th and 90th minutes respectively.
Kelantan replied through centrebacks Muhammad Mohd Faudzi and Arham Khussyairi, but could not prevent Star City from claiming their first win of the season.
“Alhamdulillah, I am thrilled with my performance. In previous games, we created plenty of chances, but the goals just weren’t coming,” said Azfar.
“Getting my first career hattrick means a lot. I’m extremely happy and hope we can maintain this momentum.”
Azfar said he always tried to make the most of his opportunities by following the coach’s instructions and giving his best.
He also credited former coach Yusri Che Lah, who gave him his Super League debut when the club were known as Immigration, and Durakovic for placing his trust in him.
The win lifted Star City to eighth in the standings with five points from five matches, while Kelantan remain bottom without a point after six games.
Durakovic was pleased with his team’s display but felt they could have scored more, praising Kelantan goalkeeper Amin Faisal Saidi for making several saves.
“It’s not easy to come here to Kelantan and get a result like this. The players deserve it because they worked hard, even during games when we lacked a bit of luck,” he said.
Durakovic added that several players were returning from injury, leaving only captain Rizal sidelined as the squad gradually regained their strength.
