Tomislav Steinbruckner, head coach of Terengganu FC (TFC), acknowledged that fatigue played a significant role in his team’s inability to break through Selangor FC’s defense, leading to their 0-1 defeat at home in the Liga Super Malaysia 2024/25 clash at Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium.
Coming off a demanding 2-2 draw against Vietnamese club Dong A Thanh Hoa in the ASEAN Club Championship, Steinbruckner admitted that his players were physically drained.
“I can’t complain too much to the players because they have already given 100 percent effort,” said Steinbruckner. “Our problem is that they were exhausted from the intense match against the Vietnamese club just three days ago, and tonight they had to go again. They simply didn’t have enough rest.”
The coach did not place blame on his players for the loss, particularly after Ronnie Fernandez scored the fastest goal of the Super League season, finding the net in just 27 seconds to secure the win for Selangor. “Regarding the quick goal, maybe the players were not fully prepared. After that, they tried to recover and at least hunt for an equalizer, but it just didn’t happen,” Steinbruckner added.
Meanwhile, Selangor FC head coach Nidzam Jamil expressed relief following the hard-fought win, which marked his team’s first away victory of the season. “Tonight’s win is important because we have not won away from home so far, and this success boosts both the morale and motivation of the players,” said Nidzam.
The victory strengthens Selangor’s position in second place with 25 points, while TFC remains third with 16 points. The defeat underscores the toll of a packed schedule on Terengganu’s squad, but Steinbruckner remains confident in his players’ resilience as they look to bounce back in upcoming fixtures.
Credit Photo : TFC
