GEORGE TOWN – The marching orders given to a Penang FC player and a disallowed goal contributed to the team’s defeat by Kedah Darul Aman (KDA) FC in their Super League match last night, said Penang coach Chong Yee Fatt.
He said he was disappointed by the result as his team had expected to win the match.
“The result is very unfortunate. We had expected to collect full points. As you could see, we got more possession of the ball in the first half.
“However, in the second half, the red card incident and disallowed goal made a difference as we lost our momentum,” he told a post-match press conference at City Stadium here.
Rafael Vitor’s attempt in the 67th minute found the net but referee S. Logeswaran disallowed the goal after ruling that Vitor had pulled and disturbed KDA’s Bojan Ciger while making the header.
The home team’s misfortune was compounded when Muhammad Adib Abdul Ra’op was sent off in the 76th minute for getting his second yellow card for a foul on Manuel Hidalgo.
KDA edged Penang 2-1 in front of about 3,000 spectators.
Meanwhile, KDA coach Nafuzi Zain admitted that his team had faced a tough time against Penang.
“In my opinion, the hard and uneven ground prevented both teams from showing their true potential.”
The win keeps KDA in third spot with 43 points after 20 matches, narrowing the gap on second-placed Selangor FC, who have three points more after 21 matches.
Penang remain in 10th position with 19 points after 20 matches.
Reports of a clash outside the stadium after the match, believed to involve football supporters, have gone viral on social media. – August 23, 2023