KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 (Bernama) - The National Stadium in Bukit Jalil tonight
was mostly a sea of red and white as thousands of Kelantan football fans filled
the stadium to watch their team in the FA Cup final 2012.
Although the game between the team and Sime Darby FC would only begin at
8.45pm, the fans started thronging the stadium grounds around 3pm carrying
banners bearing encouraging words for their team known as The Red Warriors.
Traffic heading towards the National Stadium was also moving at a crawl with
the influx of supporters of both teams.
Immediately, when the stadium doors opened at 4pm, the thousands of
supporters including women and children rushed in to get the most strategic
seats.
A hardcore supporter of the Red Warriors who identified himself as Mamat,
said he arrived in the federal capital yesterday together with his friends from
Kota Baharu, Kelantan.
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"I want to watch the game live here and celebrate the Red Warriors'' victory
tonight. Last year, we failed to win the FA Cup, but I am confident this
time, the Red Warriors will win big," said the youth in his 20''s.
Sime Darby FC fan Mohd Zaini Rasid from Bandar Tun Razak in Cheras, however,
was confident that the club could surprise the favourites tonight.
"I know there are many fans of the Kelantan team here, but minnows as we
are, still capable of providing a stiff fight. I believe they (Sime Darby FC)
can spring a surprise like they did in the semi-finals," he said.
About 85,000 spectators of the match also brought brisk business to booth
operators selling such items as team jerseys, mufflers and caps, as well as food
and drinks at the stadium grounds.
-- BERNAMA
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