Kelantan Football Association (Persatuan Bola Sepak Kelantan), commonly known as Kelantan FA or Kelantan, is a professional football team based in Kota Bharu,Kelantan.
Kelantan plays in the Malaysian football representing the state of Kelantan, Malaysia. They are currently playing in the top division in Malaysian football, the Malaysia Super League. Their home stadium is Sultan Muhammad IV Stadium in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia. The team has won major trophies in Malaysian football. Domestically they has won 2 Malaysia Super League titles, 2 Malaysia Cup titles, 2 Malaysia FA Cup titles, 1Malaysia Charity Shield and 1 Malaysian League Division II title.
Their current coach, Bojan Hodak, has won 4 major honours since he took over in April 2012. Kelantan has a long-standing rivalry with neighbours Terengganu, with whom it regularly contests the East Coast Derby.
Rise of the Red Warriors
The rise of Kelantanese football began under the leadership of Tan Sri Annuar Musa when he took office as President in 2007. Annuar brought a revolution and transformed the way the Kelantan FA was run by introducing changes that were akin to those practiced overseas. Local players were given exposure and national players were signed into the team to have a good blend of experience and finesse. Sponsorship deals were signed with various companies and with a good cash flow going into the first few years of Annuar’s leadership, Kelantan, now rebranded as the Red Warriors, was ready to take the pitch by storm.
During the 2007–08 Malaysia Premier League season, the team had their large supporter attendance improved with home stadium, theSultan Muhammad IV Stadium packed during the match. It also boost a considerably high attendance at away games. The results are seen as the team were unbeatable at home during the 2007-08 Malaysia Premier League season. Their only home loss of the season was to Malaysia Super League side Terengganu during the 2007-08 Malaysia Cup which the team lost 1-0.
2013 Season
Kelantan starts the season with a defeated to ATM on the Charity Shield Cup match. They have lost on penalties after draw 1-1 (AET) scores by Indra Putra Mahayuddin.
The first league of the match was at Kota Bharu and they won against PKNS with scores 2-1. Badhri Radzi scores the equaliser at the last minute of the match to Kelantan gained 3 points. Kelantan started the 2013 season with a a bit inconsistent. They only got 1 win, 3 draws, and 1 lost in the first 5 matches in the league. Kelantan close their 2013 Malaysia Super League campaign by beating LionsXII 2-0 at the Sultan Muhammad IV Stadium. Goals were scored by Kelantan's captain, Badhri Radzi and Dickson Nwakaeme.
In the 2013 Malaysia FA Cup, the team met Johor Darul Takzim in the final after defeating Terengganu with 6-5 on aggregate in semi-finals. They also defeating east-Malaysia team, Sarawak in the quarter-finals with 4-1 in aggregate. The team initially gets a bye for the first round and they played at the second round defeating PKNS in Sultan Muhammad IV Stadium in Kota Bharu with 4-2 in score. During the final, Kelantan wins 1-0 against Johor Darul Takzim. The sole goal was scored by Nor Farhan Muhammad 15 minutes into the game. With this victory Kelantan successfully retain their FA Cup title for the second year in the row.
AFC Cup competitions
2013 campaign
In 2013, the team qualified to the AFC Cup for the second time after wining a treble in the Malaysian football. They were also on top of group G, with SHB Da Nang, Maziya and Ayeyawady United. They qualified just until round of 16 after defeated by Hong Kong's football club, Kitchee with 2-0 in score. Selangor also join their journey in the AFC Cup competitions.
No comments:
Post a Comment