Tabuan Muda ‘A’ sixth place hopes hang on a balance

February 7, 2018

|     Fadhil Yunus     |

TABUAN Muda ‘A’ hopes of finishing sixth place in the DST Super League hang on a balance after a 1-1 draw with Kasuka FC at the Berakas Sports Complex last Sunday, leaving the door ajar for MS PDB to make a late surge.

Tabuan climbed ahead of Lun Bawang by a single point but their fate are now out of their hands with eighth-placed MS PDB – who had to face Kota Ranger again after their match was postponed – yet to complete their season.

Tabuan, on 24 points, will finish sixth if MS PDB, on 21 points, fail to win but with Kota Ranger surrendering their title challenge, it will be interesting to see whether they will feature a weakened side.

Md Nur Asyraffahmi bin Nor Samri’s strike in the second minute gave Tabuan the lead but could not hold on to three points as Afindi Yati bin Tuah struck for Kasuka in the hour mark.

League leaders MS ABDB are virtually guaranteed their third league championship after their nearest rivals Kota Ranger FC could only draw against Tabuan Muda ‘A’.

Kota Ranger are three points behind the army personnel but with the champions-elect boasting a superior goal difference a change in position is unlikely at the end of the season. Faiz Farhan bin Kasmat gave Kota Ranger a 25-minute lead but Md Nur Asyraffahmi dashed any hopes of sending the title challenge down to the wire at the final day of the season after stunning them with an equaliser in the 81st minute.

Meanwhile, Indera SC have a chance to climb to second place if they beat MS ABDB and Kota Ranger lose to MS PDB in the final day of the season.

Indera, who beat Wijaya 2-0 to keep their hopes of second spot alive, have not finished outside the top two since the inception of the DST Super League in the 2012/13 season.