KUALA LUMPUR: Perak must mark Rufino Segovia out of the game to avoid the Selangor forward wrecking havoc when the two teams meet tomorrow night (Sunday) at the TLDM Stadium in a Super League match encounter.
This is because Segovia has a sharp, keen eye for scoring goals and he could destroy Perak if he is not marked the Bos Gaurus defense.
Perak captain Nasir Basharuddin said that the Spanish import is very quick in sniffing out chances and is almost always in the right place and at the right time to score.
“Many of the goals Segovia has scored are a result of his speed and intelligence in finding space to receive the ball. And when he has the ball at his feet, he is usually able to finish with devastating effect.
“Segovia’s talents have left many opposition defenses in his wake. This is what needs to be given due attention by the Perak defense as if there is a lapse in concentration, he will exploit it and punish us,” stressed Nasir.
Other than that, Nasir said they also need to ensure the ball does not reach Segovia’s feet by blocking any attacking moves from the flanks by Selangor.
“We need to block the Selangor wingers and wingbacks from making passes or running the ball into our six yard box because they are the ones who are providers for Segovia, as without service from them he will not be as deadly or devastating,” he said.
However, Nasir added that they also need to watch out for Selangor’s other players, such as Amri Yahyah, Syahmin Safari and the Red Giants Indonesian winger, Ilham Armaiyn Udin who are highly capable of putting the ball in the back of the net.
Nasir hopes that Perak will be able to repeat their good form such as when they defeated Sarawak 3-1 in the FA Cup at the end of last week.
“That victory gave us the boost we needed. In fact, I see an improvement in our game after being inconsistent in the four Super League matches before this.
“I hope we will be able to continue playing well because we need the win over Selangor to improve on our position, as we are ninth right now in the league,” said Nasir.