KUALA LUMPUR: Selangor coach Kim Pan Gon admitted his side has much to improve after fighting back to secure a 2-1 win over Kelantan TRW in their Malaysia Cup first-round, first-leg match on Monday.
The Red Giants trailed after Filipino left-back Simen Lyngbo scored for Kelantan in the 25th minute, but a second-half brace from Faisal Halim turned the game around at the Sultan Muhd IV Stadium in Kota Baru.
Pan Gon said Selangor only found their rhythm after the interval and stressed the need for improvement ahead of the return leg at the MBPJ Stadium on Friday.
“It was very tough and not a good start. We tried to make things smoother, but even from set-pieces we were not sure what to do first,” said Pan Gon.
“In the second half, I think the players understood the game plan better. For me, it was a very meaningful win. When we go back home, I believe we will have more confidence.”
The South Korean highlighted the difficulty of implementing immediate changes after taking charge less than two weeks ago.
“I came here in less than two weeks to change everything, and that is not practical. There are many things we have to improve on, so step by step we will focus on developing our set-up in our own way,” he said.
Pan Gon said his players must be more dynamic and control the tempo of the game in the second leg.
“We need to challenge for every ball, stop our opponents from playing well and play at a good tempo. In the return leg, we must be wiser and deliver a much better result,” he said.
Pan Gon also hopes the management will strengthen the squad further following the signing of French midfielder Mahame Siby earlier this month.
“We are trying to recruit and have scouted many players. The management is working on it, and I am waiting for good news. If things go well in the next three or four days, maybe we can put them under more pressure,” he added.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
