KUCHING: Kuching City FC head coach, Aidil Sharin Sahak, praised his players for their strong character and teamwork after the 5-0 win over PDRM FC at Stadium MP Selayang, calling the result a sign of the team’s hunger and progress.
“We were doing everything very well, we took our chances well, and we executed the game plan perfectly.
“In the second half, we made some changes to rotate players and give others valuable minutes.
“They adapted well and gave their best, even though we didn’t add more goals. Overall, I’m very happy with the team’s performance,” said Aidil after the match on Saturday night.
Despite the dominant scoreline, the Singaporean coach noted a few defensive lapses in the first half but stressed that improvement remains an ongoing process.
“Although PDRM had a few chances and tried to score, our defending and pressure ensured they didn’t get a clean shot.
“But of course, we definitely want to improve, and we’ll look at the video again to see what can be done better for the next game.
“In this league, you never know who is at their best, so we always have to do our homework to keep improving,” he said.
After eight matches, Kuching City have emerged as one of the league’s surprise packages, sitting near the top of the table with consistent performances built on stability and discipline.
“I think everyone knows Kuching City is not a big club, but we are a club with big ambition.
“Maybe we are progressing a little faster than expected, but it’s because the players really want it.
“The teamwork and chemistry have been excellent. We didn’t change many players this season, only adding key ones like Haziq Nadzli, Danial Asri and Ronald Wanja, while keeping the core of the team intact,” said Aidil.
He added that his focus remains on steady progress rather than lofty expectations.
“We don’t want to set a high target for now. We just want to take it one game at a time, see where we stand at mid-season, and keep improving,” Aidil said.
Centre-back Yuki Tanigawa opened the scoring in the 13th minute with a header from Ramadhan Saifullah’s free kick that beat the opposing goalkeeper.
Striker Ronald then stole the spotlight with a first-half hat-trick in the 20th, 31st and 38th minutes.
His second goal came from a powerful shot outside the penalty box, while his third was neatly finished from a clever pass by Moses Artede that caught the PDRM defence off guard.
Ramadhan later added his name to the scoresheet, converting a penalty in the 54th minute to seal the visitors’ fifth goal.
