KUCHING: Hope FC are “ready to go” and relish the challenge of the Piala Cahya Mata 2026, describing it as an honour as they continue their tournament journey.
Club manager, Bryan Cheong, says his side are set to feature in the Sarawak leg of the competition, where they will face Mix Cahya Mata after the group draw was recently completed.
The tournament has attracted 32 teams from Sarawak and 256 teams nationwide, spanning eight states and Kuala Lumpur, underlining the scale and competitiveness of this year’s edition.
For Hope FC, the campaign comes on the back of valuable competitive minutes in recent weeks, including their participation in the Muhazis Trophy Four-Cornered Tournament, where they tested themselves against a mix of local and Indonesian opposition.
The Sarawak-based side finished third in that outing last weekend, gaining useful exposure against teams such as Ragam FC and Bigik Pinang Reborn in a highly competitive international-friendly setting.
Despite creating plenty of chances in recent matches, Bryan admitted that finishing remains an area for improvement, even as he praised his team’s overall performance levels.
“We are a bit unlucky in that end. Definitely something to work on, but the positives were that we dominated most of the games we played. The other teams took their chances,” he told Sarawak Tribune recently when contacted.
He added that the team’s identity remains unchanged despite the setback in front of goal.
“Each game requires different approaches, but we will stick to our high-intensity style of play as that is part of our identity and ethos,” he explained.
Looking ahead, Bryan said the experience of competing against international opposition has been valuable for the squad’s development.
“It has been super amazing for everyone involved and good to shake off some competitive rust. We would definitely want to play in more competitions like this moving forward,” he added.
Hope FC’s recent run also included their participation in the Muhazis Trophy Four-Cornered Tournament, which served as a key preparatory platform ahead of their Piala Cahya Mata 2026 campaign.
They will now turn their attention to the clash against Mix Cahya Mata, aiming to convert their dominant spells of play into goals as the competition intensifies.
“I wouldn’t say nervous, but ready to go. Really excited to be playing in a tournament like this, and it’s an honour to start out against the hosts. So yes, we are excited,” he said.
