Late equaliser gives KL City 'the worst feeling'
The City Boys led 1-0 at the KLFA Stadium after Declan Lambert scored with a deflected effort in the 64th minute.
Gabriel Peres, however, headed in the equaliser for Sabah in the second minute of stoppage time.
Sabah's Dean Pelekanos had been shown a red card at the end of the first half.
Speaking at a post-match press conference, Vidakovic said his side dominated and should have won the match.
:It's the worst feeling, considering we controlled almost the entire second half and had many chances to finish off the game. But that's football — sometimes you have to accept it, look forward and work hard," he said.
"It was a very good opportunity to get three more points and build confidence. We are a new team, building from scratch. It was very important to win today, but that didn't happen."
The Serbian coach said he was not blaming anyone for the draw and urged his team to bounce back in their FA Cup first-round clash against Kelantan The Real Warriors (KTRW) in Kota Bharu on Aug 18.
"I don't like to blame anybody. It's part of football — 90 minutes of concentration, with everyone tired. We also started pre-season a little late, so we are not yet at our physical peak," Vidakovic said.
"The FA Cup is next. As always, we will play our game and aim to win, but the most important thing now is to rest and recover psychologically.
"It was a shock for us to concede that goal — the worst thing that can happen on the pitch. We must recover, especially our mood, after this game."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Minnows UM-Damansara ready to fight tooth and nail with JDT in FA Cup tie
PETALING JAYA: UM-Damansara are stepping into the Southern Tigers' Den on Friday (Aug 15) for an FA cup round of 16 first-leg tie, with most expecting Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) to roar to victory long before the first whistle. But the A1 Semi-Pro League side aren't just going to roll over as they are plotting an unlikely upset. Their preparation included a dress rehearsal of sorts last week against JDT II in league action, a narrow 0-1 defeat that offered both lessons and warnings. Centreback and former national Under-23 defender A. Shivan Pillay knows the challenge ahead and is under no illusion. "We did well against JDT II but the main team is 100 times better," said the 24-year-old, who has featured for Super League sides like Petaling Jaya City, Perak and Selangor. "We've trained hard for this game, focusing on our plan. The goal is simple – keep the scoreline tight and make the most of any chances." UM-Damansara, led by coach Ridzuan Abu Shah, will take inspiration from Negri Sembilan, who stunned JDT by taking a 2-0 lead before eventually falling 3-5 in their Super League clash. "We must defend stronger and hit them on the counter. We've seen how their backline sometimes plays high - there are spaces to exploit," Shivan added. "We have to run for every ball, give every ounce of effort, and hopefully, we can score." Originally slated for UM Arena in Kuala Lumpur, the match was moved to the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium after the Malaysian Football League deemed UM-Damansara's home ground below standard. That means facing JDT not once, but in effect twice on their home turf. Shivan admits the squad have talked about the scale of the challenge and the likelihood of a long night as they prepare to face a star-studded attack featuring Brazilians Bergson Da Silva, Jairo Da Silva and Heberty Fernandes, along with national striker Joao Figueiredo and Malaysia's golden boy Arif Aiman Hanapi. "It's going to be a long game because these are top professionals," Shivan said. "But playing against players like this makes you better. We'll cherish the exposure and do whatever it takes to limit the goals." Ahead of the tie, UM-Damansara received a timely boost with the arrival of winger Sean Gan Giannelli. The 28-year-old, formerly with Kuala Lumpur from 2023 to 2025, was part of the JDT set-up between 2016 and 2019. "Sean has Super League experience and knows what it's like to play for JDT. He'll be key for us, especially on the break," said Shivan.
The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
Selangor FC drawn in all-Asean ACL Two group for 2025/26 season
LAST season's Super League runner-up Selangor FC will compete in an all-Southeast Asian group in the 2025/26 Asian Football Confederation Champions League Two (ACL Two). The Red Giants were drawn into Group G alongside Thailand's Bangkok United, Singapore's Lion City Sailors FC, and Indonesia's Persib Bandung. All four teams in the group hail from the ASEAN region, ensuring a balanced competition with familiar opponents. Selangor manager Mahfizul Rusydin expressed hope that the team can progress beyond the group stage this time. 'We are looking forward to a second consecutive participation in the competition and hope will not exit at the group stage,' he said. 'Our hope is to proceed to the round of 16 where we can meet clubs from the west zone.' Selangor finished third in Group H last season and failed to advance to the knockout rounds. The 2025/26 ACL Two group stage draw also placed Al Nassr, Beijing FC, and Gamba Osaka in separate groups. Group G promises intense regional rivalries as Selangor seeks redemption in continental competition. - Bernama
Barnama
3 hours ago
- Barnama
ACL Two: Selangor Drawn In All-ASEAN Group
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 (Bernama) -- Last season's Super League runner-up Selangor FC are set to face regional rivals after being drawn into a group comprising only Southeast Asian clubs in the 2025/26 Asian Football Confederation Champions League Two (ACL Two). At the draw ceremony here today, the Red Giants were placed in Group G alongside Bangkok United of Thailand, Lion City Sailors FC of Singapore and Persib Bandung of Indonesia. All clubs in Group G hail from the ASEAN region thus setting the stage for a balanced competition as they are familiar with each other's strengths and style of play.
