KUCHING: Selangor FC head coach, Kim Pan-gon, admitted his team faced a stern challenge as they edged Kuching City FC 1-0 at the Stadium Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya last night (Feb 22).
Facing the club for the first time as coach, Kim shared that his team were pushed to the brink by a disciplined and dangerous Kuching outfit, claiming the match ‘was very tough, very tough’.
“Kuching are normally a very attacking team, but today they were a bit more passive against us.
“It was quite tough to create goal-scoring chances,” he told at a recent press conference.
The South Korean coach noted that while Selangor had a few opportunities in the first half, the cutting edge and finish were lacking.
“There were chances in the first half, but the determination was not enough. Kuching had very good counter-attacks as usual, as we know,” Kim said,
He then highlighted his players’ persistence and mentality under pressure, particularly in the second half.
“Until the last minute, we were still creating chances and trying to put the ball in.”
“I appreciate the players’ mental strength and teamwork,” he said.
He also praised Kuching City as one of the league’s toughest opponents, cautioning that a lapse in concentration could have been costly.
“They are a good team — very good as a team and also individually.
“If we had no concentration, if we were casual, we would be finished,” Kim warned.
Looking ahead, Kim said Selangor will maintain the same mentality and fighting spirit, with another key match against Melaka FC this Saturday.
“We will maintain this mentality and spirit. We will continue to fight,” he said, underlining the importance of teamwork as the season enters its decisive stage.
