KUCHING: Kuching City FC struck early and defended resolutely to defeat Sabah FC 2-0 in a lively Malaysia Super League’s Borneo Derby at Sarawak State Stadium on Saturday (March 7).
The Cats needed just five minutes to ignite the contest when João Pedro put the hosts ahead, sparking celebrations among thousands of supporters.
Ronald Ngah Wanja battled down the left flank before spotting João in support and laying the ball into his path, allowing the Timor-Leste forward to finish calmly with a left-footed strike.
Kuching City doubled their advantage in the 26th minute after a slick attacking move.
João drove into the left side of the flank before slipping a pass to Danial Asri in the penalty box area, who squared the ball across the box where Muhammad Ramadhan Saifullah.
Ramadhan, battling a Sabah defender, nudged the ball into the path of Petrus Shitembi, who made no mistake with the finish.
The Cats nearly added another before the break when Gabriel Nistelrooy threatened inside the box, but Sabah goalkeeper, Damien Lim Chien Hung, produced a timely save.
The Rhinos responded with greater urgency after the restart and came closest to scoring in one of the match’s most dramatic moments.
The Cats’ goalkeeper, Haziq Nadzli, dived to try and deflect a dangerous ball inside the area, leaving the goal briefly unattended.
A Sabah attacker quickly dribbled the ball with the net exposed, but Rodney Celvin and captain James Okwuosa sprinted back in desperation to form a dramatic “human wall” on the line, blocking the attempt and preserving Kuching City’s two-goal cushion.
The Sarawak Stadium crowd gasped before erupting in relief as the defensive stand kept the visitors at bay.
Sabah continued pushing forward but struggled to break through Kuching City’s disciplined defence and the assured presence of Nadzli between the posts.
The match saw several cautions issued, with Sabah’s Duje Ljubić, Dean Pelekanos and Gabriel Peres booked, while Kuching City’s Ramdhan Saifullah also received a yellow card.
Kuching City managed the closing stages confidently, introducing fresh legs while keeping Sabah at arm’s length.
The victory secured another three valuable points for the Cats, lifting them to third place in the Malaysian Super League standings and keeping the pressure on Kuala Lumpur City FC in the race for second.
Sabah, meanwhile, were left to regroup after failing to overturn the early deficit in the Borneo Derby clash.
