KUCHING: Kuching City FC’s near upset over Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) ended in a narrow 2-1 loss, but coach Aidil Sharin Sahak remains optimistic about the squad’s development and upcoming reinforcements.
The match at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri on Wednesday night saw Kuching City score first through Scott Woods in the 40th minute.
However, JDT, even after losing their captain, Natxo Insa, to a red card in the 55th minute, came back with goals from Nacho Mendez in the 57th minute and Bergson da Silva in the 64th to win the game.
Speaking after the game, Aidil praised his players for their commitment and discipline, especially considering the challenging circumstances of playing against a strong opponent with one less player.
“I think it’s always a pleasure to come here, it’s always a pleasure to play in this kind of atmosphere, a good feel. I think the boys always prepare well and always give a good fight. I respect my players; they keep their pace and don’t give anything easy to JDT,” he said.
Aidil also acknowledged the quality of JDT’s goals, noting that the first was a powerful shot not easy to save, while the second resulted from an individual error that allowed Bergson freedom in the box.
“It’s good to see that the goals (that were scored) are not huge. Even though we lost to a good team, we have to move on,” he added.
The coach said they expected JDT to attack strongly in the first 15 minutes of the second half after going behind, and that’s when JDT scored their equaliser.
About player fitness, Aidil said some players are still being checked and trained carefully before playing to avoid injuries.
“We don’t want players to get injured straight away. We need at least one to two weeks of training to assess their condition,” he said.
Looking ahead, Aidil is confident in the team’s progress.
He reminded that when he first took charge, the team was in 13th place, and now they are in fourth, despite some fluctuations.
“The pressure is now on the teams above us. We have two foreign players joining soon, one from Africa and one from the Middle East, which will help push the squad further. We may also bring in another local player, depending on the budget,” he revealed.
