KUCHING: Stand up and applaud Haziq Nadzli – the Kuching City FC’s shot-stopper was in inspired form.
He stole the show, proving why he’s one of the country’s top goalkeepers with a series of heroic saves.
At the Stadium Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya on Sunday night (Feb 22), Selangor’s Chrigor Moraes came close in the 26th minute, firing a shot in front of goal, but Haziq made himself big and kept out the forward’s scrambling effort.
In the 61st minute, Haziq was caught off a back pass, yet he quickly redeemed himself, making a one-handed save to deny Selangor’s Faisal Halim in a one-on-one situation.
Then, in the 84th minute, he tipped over a curling long-range effort to keep his team in the game.
However, a defensive lapse between Kuching captain, James Okwuosa, and Haziq allowed Chrigor Moraes to score in the 86th minute, giving Selangor the edge.
Haziq remained a standout, making a brilliant stop from Kim Ji Ho to keep the deficit minimal as Selangor pushed forward.
He also denied another Selangor attacker in a one-on-one, amid debate over possible contact with the forward, further highlighting his composure under pressure.
The 1-0 result did little to overshadow Haziq Nadzli’s brilliance between the posts.
