KUALA LUMPUR: Terengganu FC Head Coach Tomislav Steinbruckner (pix) promised his team will give everything to defeat defending champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) in the 2023 Malaysia Cup final at the National Stadium, Bukit Jalil here, tomorrow night.
The 57-year-old Croatian-German coach said he knows how important tomorrow’s final is for all Terengganu fans who have been waiting for more than 20 years to see the Turtles lift the Malaysia Cup again after the first time in 2001.
Steinbruckner who took over as head coach earlier this season, said he and his squad received much support and encouragement ahead of tomorrow’s final.
“This is not easy but I can promise to the fans we will go to the maximum to try to bring that cup again in Terengganu,” he told the pre-match press conference here, today.
Commenting further, Steinbruckner said his team, who lost to JDT in both Super League meetings this season, were already prepared to face the Southern Tigers squad tomorrow night.
“Everybody knows who is the favourite tomorrow but everything is possible, we must be at our top level – play better than before better than maybe ever this season if we want to win against JDT and sometimes (there) must be a little bit luck of course,” he said.
Meanwhile, Terengganu captain Habib Haroon said the motivation of his teammates was at its best and everyone was excited to end the 22-year drought of winning the Malaysia Cup.
“It has been 22 years since Terengganu won the Malaysia Cup, all the fans want it, we want it too, all the players are highly motivated to win it and all believe we can do it,” said the 23-year-old midfielder from Bahrain.
For the record, Terengganu lost 0-2 and 1-3 to JDT in Super League matches this season, thus seeing the Turtles fail to record any win against their opponents in five meetings.
JDT, three-time Malaysia Cup champions are set to defend their title thus adding to their this season’s silverware collection after emerging as champions of the Super League and FA Cup, while Terengganu are gunning for a second title after their last victory in 2001. –Bernama
