KUCHING: Hope FC’s unity shone brighter than their new pink kits as they battled to a 1-0 victory over Vriend FC in their recent Liga Bandaraya Amateur clash at Field C, Petra Jaya.
The Hopers on Sunday evening (Sept 7) left it late, but their persistence paid off when midfielder Aril Rozni curled home a decisive free-kick from distance to seal all three points.
“I’ve been working on that a lot in training, so I’m really grateful to the coaches and the manager for trusting me to take the free-kick and believing in me to score.
“Big thanks as well to my teammates — they fought hard the whole game and put us in that position to win. Couldn’t have done it without them,” Aril said.
Player-manager Bryan Cheong hailed the team’s discipline and togetherness, noting that their spirit carried them through despite missed chances earlier in the match.
“Our finishing wasn’t where we wanted it to be, but we executed our game plan and we left it late to seal the win.
“Credit also to our goalkeeper Azrie Azahari, who has been outstanding these past few games, making crucial saves even when opposition chances were limited,” he said.
Cheong, who was recently named Manager of the Month by the league, dedicated the recognition to his players and staff.
“Really happy to win the award — it’s a testament to the hard work of every single player on the team as well as the coaching staff, Zul Azri and Jerald Chiaw. Hoping for more success with this team,” he added.
The squad, donning their newly unveiled kit with a bright pink upper half that fades into a light sky blue gradient, looked as vibrant on the pitch as they did united off it.
Their latest win underlined not just their ambition, but also the strong camaraderie that has become their trademark.
With the victory, Hope FC moved up to third place in the standings with 31 points from 15 matches.
They now prepare to face Kiut FT, who trail closely in fourth place, in what promises to be another test of resilience and unity.
