62 18 March 2012 THE NEW PAPER ON SUNDAY MALAYSIAN SUPER LEAGUE HIDE AND DUCK: The LionsXII taking refuge in their dugout as water bottles rain down. TNP PICTURES: KELVIN CHNG LionsXIIsurvive Sarawak‘hell’ ful” as heaps of water bottles thumped against the with all three points and their unbeaten away record fibreglass shelter. intact. “Wah, like Angry Birds,” quipped defender Safuwan Yet this win was one to savour, as coach V Sundra- Baharudin. moorthy had to contend with a long injury list which Teammate Madhu Mohana added: “Hardcore man, includes goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud, defenders Juma’at welcome to hell.” Jantan, Baihakki Khaizan, Shaiful Esah and forwards “Singapore mati (die in Malay),” screamed a Khairul Amri and Agu Casmir. DAVID LEE Sarawak fan, followed by more profanities. He couldn’t even find 18 fit players to bring to [email protected] Just then, Sarawak captain Hairol Moktar squared Stadium Negeri, taking just 17 to Kuching without train- up to referee Suhaimi Mat Hassan, who had awarded ingat the matchday pitch. SARAWAK 0 the 73rd-minute penalty which Shahril Ishak converted Worse, his entire first-choice defence was wiped out LIONSXII 1 for a gutsy 1-0 win. when Safuwan failed to passalate fitness test. (Shahril Ishak 73-pen) And Sarawak assistant coach Farhan Abdullah was But each of the replacements turned in virtuoso seenhurling a water bottle over the official. performances to show that the LionsXII have both REPORTING FROM KUCHING True to Bruising Borneo Battle tradition, Sarawak – depth and spirit to count themselves as genuine con- players and 15,000 fans – hurled abuse, blared air horns, tenders for the Malaysian Super League title. After the final whistle, the LionsXII swung elbows, lit flares, flashed middle fingers and Not even two interruptions totalling 14 minutes, due players and officials surveyed the launchedwater bottles – ina bid tounsettle theSingapo- to failed floodlights and firecrackers on the pitch, could rean side during and after the physical match. unnerve the lion-hearted visitors. stands and scurried into the dugout But for the second time in two months, following Despite being repeatedly targeted by laser pointers, and pulled this reporter in as well. January’s 1-0 away win at Sabah, the LionsXII stood goalkeeper Hyrulnizam kept out an injury-time Goalkeeper Hyrulnizam Juma’at shouted: “Be care- their ground, refused to be intimidated and escaped free-kick, Sevki Sha’ban and Hariss Harun forged a.