Malaysia Cup 2006:

LIBERIAN STRIKER, BUSTON NAGBE BROWNE FIRES NEGRI CLOSER TO THEIR FIRST EVER MALAYSIAN CUP FINAL AFTER 58-YEARS

 

02 Sep 2006

SEREMBAN:  A cheeky bicycle-kick goal by Liberian Striker Buston Brown in the 46th minute had put the home team ahead and sent the record 40,000 fans into frenzy.  Negri Sembilan seeking to end a 58-year waits for Malaysia Cup title….

But Telekom, who have said that their strength lies in away matches, again disappointed the Negri fans who had expected their team to win by a convincing margin. 

Substitute Azlan Ahmad’s late equalizer six minutes from time kept Malacca Telekom alive in the Malaysia Cup semi-finals as they pulled off a 1-1 draw in the first-leg at the Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium in Paroi last night. 

Azlan, who came in for Rudie Ramli, broke the hearts of the fans when he stabbed in the equalizer off a loose ball, due to goalkeeper Azizon Kadir’s blunder inside the box, with six minutes of play left. 

The home team had everything going for them, including playing to a record full-house of 40,000 fans, which had flocked to watch the match for free. 

The visitors started without four regulars, including influential imports Francois Mpensa of Cameroon in defense and midfield general Ponaryo Astaman of Indonesia. 

Telekom’s first-choice goalkeeper Zainal Rabin was also out injured while striker Mohd Nizaruddin Yusop was on a one-match suspension. 

Negri had their best men, including ace striker Christian Beckamengo from Cameroon, midfielder Noel Rodwell from Zambia and BUSTON NAGBE BROWNE from Liberia. 

Brown then brought the crowd to their feet when he scored with a bicycle-kick from a Noel Rodwell corner-kick a minute in the second-half. 

But just when they thought they had a one-goal cushion for the return-leg in Malacca on Sept 9, Azlan dashed their hopes. 

Telekom are still in with a chance to emulate Petaling Jaya Municipal Council and become only the second club side to enter the final. 

We are focus for our double of the season, said the 21 year old Liberian striker, Buston Brown, who was also man of the match. The fans have been faithful following us through out the season. We are champions of the super league, and we are also focus to winning the Malaysian Cup, for them. This is our way of saying thanks to them.

N. Sembilan: Azizon Kadir, Rezal Zambery Yahaya, Idris Karim, Noel Rodwell, Buston Brown (Anuar Jusoh), Khairul Anuar Baharom, Ching Hong Aik, P. Sivanantham, Mohd Rahman Zabul, Che Hishamuddin Hassan, Christian Beckamengo 

M. Telekom: Mohd Suffian Abdul Rahman, Ramesh Lai Ban Huat, Mohd Munir Aman (Hafizi Awang), Tengku Hasbullah Raja Hassan, Mohd Hardi Jaafar, Chaswe Nsofwa, Rudie Ramli (Azlan Ahmad), Zainuddin Ariffin, Abdul Aziz Ismail, Mohd Badrul Azam (Mohd Nizam Abu Bakar), Mohd Marzuki Yusof.