KUCHING: Kuching City FC have kept their top-two hopes alive after defeating Melaka FC 3-1 in a crucial Super League match at the Hang Jebat Stadium in Melaka, last night (May 10).
Head coach Aidil Sharin Sahak praised his players for rising to the challenge in a high-pressure encounter as forward Jerome Etame netted a hat-trick in the 40th, 71st and 87th minutes.
Melaka FC’s lone goal came through Muhamad Umar Hakeem Suhar Rezwan in the 47th minute.
“I think the win is credit to the players for working hard to get the three points tonight. It’s not easy.
“We knew that Melaka defensively are always strong. We analysed a lot on their game against Negeri Sembilan and Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT), how they work in defending and attacking. I think today the boys worked hard,” he told a press conference after the match.
Kuching City entered halftime with a 1-0 advantage before briefly losing concentration early in the second half, allowing Melaka to equalise. However, Aidil’s tactical reshuffle proved decisive as the Cats quickly regained control of the match.
“When we got the lead in the first half, we had a little lapse and made some mistakes. Then they scored.
“In five to seven minutes, we made tremendous changes. You can see that we hardly make four changes at one time, but the boys who came in executed well and showed a lot of eagerness to win this game,” he added.
Aidil was particularly pleased with Jerome’s first hat-trick for the club, describing the Cameroonian as a player capable of making a major impact since arriving during the mid-season transfer window.
“We knew his quality and that he is a player who can do something for us. That’s why we brought him in during the half season and hopefully he can contribute more,” he said.
Despite the increasing pressure as the season approaches its conclusion, Aidil believes his squad has shown maturity and belief throughout the campaign.
“The pressure is good. Every game has pressure and it’s never easy playing away against a team like Melaka with a good defensive record.
“We knew how crucial this game was because we cannot afford to drop points again. The boys understood that and worked very hard,” he said.
The Cats are scheduled to host KL City FC in their final league match at the Stadium Negeri on May 17.
