Suspended Sime Darby FC striker Patrick Ronaldinho Wleh can only uphold his team in prayer when his team-mates take on FA Cup defending champions Terengganu in the semi-final, return-leg clash at the Selayang Stadium on Tuesday.
The 23rd edition of the knockout competition has been all about the 21-year-old Liberian international’s exploits and the Premier League club side’s fairy tale run. (No club side have made it to the FA Cup final since the inaugural competition in 1990.)
Wleh has scored six goals in the five FA Cup matches while the plantation giants have knocked out two teams from the top flight – Sabah and Johor FC – thus far.
And Wleh is confident that Terengganu will be their next victim – despite his absence.
“It will not be complete if we don’t qualify for the final after all the hard work put in by the team. We have come this far and to miss the final will be a huge blow and a waste of our efforts,” said Wleh after a friendly against Selangor at the Selayang Stadium on Friday.
Sime Darby FC are in the driver’s seat going into the return-leg match with a one-goal advantage.
They won the first-leg 2-1 in Kuala Terengganu on April 21. Terengganu need to win by a clear 2-0 margin to qualify because of Sime Darby FC’s away goal advantage.
Wleh described the winning goal scored by substitute Syukor Saidin deep into stoppage time in the first-leg as “the killer blow” for Terengganu.
“It is going to be hard for Terengganu to upstage us now. Of course, Terengganu are from the Super League and are the favorites but I think we have inflicted the damage on them in Kuala Terengganu,” he said.
“Too bad, I will be out on suspension … but I will uphold my team in prayer.”
Sime Darby FC coach Ismail Zakaria will surely miss his prized signing, who has also been a revelation in the Premier League, having scored 15 goals in 18 matches.
By ERIC SAMUEL (The Star)
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