KUCHING: Kuching City FC (KCFC) staged a remarkable comeback away from home from a goal down to secure a 2-1 victory in their opening match against Kelantan FC.
The team faced a tough challenge from the host, who took the lead in the 50th minute after a shot from Nuha Mahong was initially saved by Kuching City goalkeeper Norazlan Razali which was latched onto by Cifu who took the chance to slot in the rebound.
Despite the setback, Kuching City refused to give up and continued to push forward in search of an equaliser.
Their hard work paid off when they managed to score a crucial equaliser in the 57th minute.
Kuching City’s Abu Kamara played in a one-touch pass into the box for his striking partner Abdallah Sudi, who managed to finish it with ease, levelling the scoreline at 1-1.
With momentum on their side, Kuching City continued to press forward and were rewarded with a second goal in the 70th minute.
Newly acquired Uzbek midfielder Sirojiddin Kuziev won the ball back near the 18-yards from Kelantan FC’s captain Mario Arqués and dribbled it into the box before cutting a pass back right in front of Kelantan FC’s goalkeeper Rozaimi Rahamat for Abu Kamara to finish into the empty net with sheer ease, securing the win for Kuching City.
The first half saw both sides failing to break down each other’s defence, despite a number of chances for both teams.
In the 14th minute, Abu Kamara had a good chance at goal but headed just slightly too high above the goal post from an in swinging cross from Arham Khussyairi.
In the 22nd minute, Kuziev intercepted the ball near the middle of the park and put in a delicious pass to Abu Kamara who made a mess of his ball control, which ended up in Rahamat’s clutch.
Mario Arqués had a good chance in the 26th minute to put Kelantan FC ahead but his free-kick from 18 yards out hit the underside of the goal post with Razali visibly beaten.
In the 27th minute, Kelantan FC continued to attack with Cifu missing a golden opportunity right in front of the 6-yard box after Kuching City’s Amir Amri Salleh failed clearance inside his box.
In the 28th minute, Kelantan FC’s Christian Rontini’s goalbounding side footed volley from a corner in front of the 6-yard box was saved by Norazlan Razali.
Kelantan FC continued with their pressure in the 35th minute when Afzal Akbar’s cross headed by Cifu was powerless and Norazlan Razali managed to grab it with ease.
Meanwhile, Kuching City managed to weather the 10-minute storm when Zahrul Nizwan’s cross headed by Abdallah Sudi was well saved by Rozaimi Rahamat in the 38th minute.
In the 40th minute, Kelantan FC had a good chance to put themselves ahead into the half-time break when its target man Nuha Marong held up the ball and passed it back to Faiz Mazlan, whose shot was blocked by Kuching City’s Arham Khussyairi.
The second half was a different story as Kuching City shifted up a gear and created more opportunities.
In the 48th minute, Abu Kamara had a long shot from 18 yards out which fell into the clutches of Rahamat’s gloves.
After going a goal down, in the 53rd minute, Kuching City had their first real chance to equalise when Rozaimi Rahamat pulled off a magnificent save from Adam Shreen’s half volley from a corner at the edge of the box.
This eventually opened up more chances for Kuching City and they eventually managed to mount a comeback from there onwards with Kelantan FC visibly running out of gas and ideas at the end of the match.
In the dying moments of the game, Kuching City’s Kuziev had a chance to put the result beyond doubt with a free kick from 25 yards out in the 97th minute.
However, his effort sailed just wide of the post, much to the relief of the Kelantan goalkeeper.
Nonetheless, Kuching City’s 2-1 lead proved to be enough as the referee blew the final whistle shortly after, confirming their comeback victory.
This win marked a significant moment for Kuching City, who are looking to do well in its first-ever season in the top flight football.
Speaking after the match, Kuching City’s coach Irfan Bakti praised his team for their resilience and fighting spirit, and expressed his satisfaction with his team’s performance.
“We faced a tough challenge today, but the boys showed great character and never gave up.
“I am glad my boys managed to weather the storm to mount a comeback from a goal down.
“We are delighted with the win and will continue to work hard to achieve our goals this season,” Irfan said in his post-match interview
Kuching City’s next match is set to take place on March 2 at home with the fans are already looking forward to seeing the team in action once again.
