FA Cup: Faisal Halim ‘inspires’ Red Giants to victory over NSFC

PETALING JAYA: Selangor FC, with stalwart Faisal Halim watching from the stands after recovering from the acid attack in May, produced an inspired performance to tame Negeri Sembilan FC (NSFC) 4-0 in the first round of the FA Cup match at the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) Stadium here today.

With the win, the Red Giants, who had also defeated NSFC 4-0 in a Super League clash at the end of last month, are through to the two-legged quarter-finals, where they will meet Kuching City FC, who stunned Kuala Lumpur City FC 3-2 yesterday.

In today’s match, home team Selangor, under the guidance of coach Mohd Nidzam Jamil, took just six minutes to break the deadlock when midfielder Yohandry Orozco cleverly lifted the ball over NSFC goalkeeper Syahmi Adib Haikal Mohd Shukri from close range.

Orozco was on target again eight minutes later when he pounced on a mistake by NSFC defender Aliyu Abu Bakar to put Selangor 2-0 up.

Import striker Alvin Fortes then made it 3-0 in the dying seconds of the first half when he curled in a shot from close range for his first competitive goal for Selangor.

The Dutchman then notched his second goal, and Selangor’s fourth, in the 67th minute after teammate Ronnie Fernandez saw his penalty saved by Syahmi Adib a minute earlier.

The penalty was awarded following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) check after Aliyu was seen to have fouled Fernandez.

Meanwhile, Faisal Halim gave the Red Giants a huge boost when he turned up at the stadium with his wife and son to support them.

Faisal Halim, whose nickname is Mickey, smiled and waved at the cheering Selangor fans.

On Thursday (June 13), the 26-year-old made his first public appearance at a special media conference at the Selangor FC Training Centre in Shah Alam since being splashed with acid by an unknown assailant at a shopping mall in Petaling Jaya in May.