KUALA LUMPUR — Sri Pahang head coach Fandi Ahmad is delighted that his charges stayed focused on their mission, delivering exactly what the fans had hoped for at the Temerloh Municipal Council Stadium.
The Singaporean’s comments came after his team gifted their 10,000 home fans a place in the Malaysia Cup final following a 2-1 victory over Sabah FC in the semi-final second leg yesterday.
Pahang progressed with a 3-2 aggregate win, following a 1-1 draw in the first leg on January 18 at Stadium Likas.
The club, currently sitting 10th in the Super League table, last reached the Malaysia Cup final in 2014, when they lifted the title after defeating powerhouse JDT 5-3 on penalties following a 2-2 draw in normal time.
The Elephants will face JDT again in the final, with the Malaysia Football League (MFL) yet to confirm the match date.
Fandi praised his players for their discipline and commitment, ensuring they did not let down the fans who had travelled across Pahang to watch the match.
“This is a historic win for me, as I have a personal connection with Pahang from my playing days. Now, I feel even more delighted to have led the team to the final as a coach,” he said during a post-match interview.
“None of this would have been possible without the hard work and discipline of my players throughout the match.
“They followed all my instructions and gave the home fans exactly what they came for – a place in the final.”
He emphasised the importance of honouring the fans’ unwavering support.
“I told the players before the match not to take the fans’ attendance for granted. Their support has brought us this far. In fact, the atmosphere today was incredible, unlike anything we’ve experienced this season in the M-League.”
Fandi also highlighted his team’s relentless pressing as the key to victory.
“With the mindset that they could not disappoint the fans, the players kept pushing from the start until the final whistle.”
Looking ahead, Fandi said his focus is now on preparing the squad for the final, with a detailed analysis of JDT’s matches.
“We’ll rest for now and focus on recovery. Once that’s done, we’ll start studying JDT’s matches and get ready for the final. I’d rather not talk too much about it yet – for now, we just want to enjoy this moment,” he added. — February 3, 2025