KUCHING: Hope FC held their nerve to book a place in the next round of the Piala Cahya Mata 2026 after edging past their opponents in a penalty shootout, with manager Bryan Cheong crediting the team’s defensive discipline for the victory.
The Sarawak-based side held their opponents to a 0-0 draw before prevailing in the penalty shootout, with goalkeeper Muhammad Fareez Hasyim Mohamad Sumardy emerging as the hero after producing crucial saves to secure the victory.
Bryan praised his players for their discipline and organisation throughout the match, admitting that the team made things difficult for themselves but remained solid at the back.
“We made it hard for ourselves, but we had a really good defensive structure with the boys at the back.
“Adrian Loh Thuan Jin (Vir), Jonathan Embas Patrick (Atan) and Alvin Sze Yi Min started the game off really well, commanding the defence, while the substitutes we brought on towards the end continued what we were doing. We controlled the game from there.
“And down to the penalties, we had Fareez, who made amazing saves to pull it off for us,” he told Sarawak Tribune.
The victory sets up another challenging encounter for Hope FC, who will face Gedong Unity FC on Aug 15 as they look to continue their Piala Cahya Mata 2026 campaign.
Bryan expects another tough test but believes his players are ready to give their best.
“We are facing Gedong Unity FC next. They are a tough team, but like always, we will give our best and 100 per cent,” he said.
While pleased with the team’s defensive display, Bryan admitted that improving their attacking output remains a priority ahead of the next match.
“Yes, we will definitely work on finishing and more attacking scenarios for us. Hopefully, we can take that into the next game,” he added.
With confidence growing from their defensive resilience, Hope FC will look to sharpen their attacking edge as they aim to progress further in the competition.
