Hougang United have already secured their place in the knockout stage of the AFC Cup, but they are not resting on their laurels as they prepare to face Sabah FC in their final group game on December 14. The Cheetahs are aiming to top Group H and maintain their unbeaten run in the continental competition.
Hougang United have been impressive in their debut AFC Cup campaign, winning three and drawing one of their four matches so far. They have scored 10 goals and conceded only three, with striker Doi Maksimovic netting five times. The Serbian forward is the joint-top scorer in the tournament, along with Sabah’s Miguel Cifuentes.
The Cheetahs have already qualified for the round of 16 as one of the best second-placed teams, but they still have a chance to finish as group winners if they beat Sabah and Hai Phong lose to PSM Makassar in the other match. Hougang United coach Clement Teo said his team will not take their foot off the pedal and will go for the win against Sabah.
“We are very happy to qualify for the next round, but we are not satisfied yet. We want to finish as the best team in our group and show our quality to the rest of Asia. Sabah are a strong team with experienced players, but we are confident in our own abilities and we will play with our usual style and intensity,” Teo said.
Sabah, on the other hand, have nothing to lose as they are already eliminated from the AFC Cup. The Malaysian side have lost three and drawn one of their four games, scoring six goals and conceding 14. They are bottom of Group H with one point, but they can still salvage some pride and spoil Hougang United’s party with a win.
Sabah coach Ong Kim Swee said his team will not give up and will try to end their AFC Cup campaign on a high note. He said Sabah will also use the match as a preparation for the upcoming Malaysia Super League season, which will start in January.
“We know we are out of the AFC Cup, but we still have a responsibility to represent our club and our country. We want to give a good account of ourselves and challenge Hougang United, who are a very good team. We also want to use this match as a platform to improve our performance and fitness for the new season,” Ong said.
The match between Hougang United and Sabah will be played at the Likas Stadium in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. The kick-off time is 8:00 PM local time (8:00 PM Singapore time). The match will be broadcast live on Eurosport1 and SofaScore2. Fans can also follow the live updates and highlights on the official AFC Cup website and social media platforms.
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