KUCHING: Kuching City FC Head Coach Aidil Sharin Sahak has commended his players for their disciplined performance following a 2-0 win over Penang FC at the Sarawak State Stadium last night (Nov 30).
However, he stressed that the team must stay focused as they prepare for a challenging Malaysia Cup quarter-final clash against Sabah FC.
“We have to recover quickly and improve for the next game,” said Aidil when met at the sidelines.
The victory secured the Cats a place in the Malaysia Cup quarter-finals, where they will meet Borneo rivals Sabah FC.
“First of all, I want to give credit to my players. Tonight, they played with good momentum and discipline.
“This is the second game in a row we’ve kept a clean sheet, and that’s a positive sign. But we know there’s still a lot of work to do,”Aidil said.
Despite controlling possession in the first half, Aidil admitted his team lacked ideas in the final third.
“In the first half, we controlled possession well but lacked ideas in the final third.
“At halftime, we made the necessary adjustments on how to break down Penang’s defence and improve our attacking options,” he told Sarawak Tribune after the match.
The second half saw significant improvement, with Kuching City finding the breakthrough with a well-executed goal.
A first goal by Tchetche Kipre and a second strike by Ramadhan Saifullah later sealed the win.
“The momentum shifted after we got the first goal. Ramadhan Saifullah was again key in his performance, and his contribution was critical,” Aidil said.
The coach also acknowledged the role of the fans in energising the team.
“The support from the fans was incredible, and it made the players more eager to push for more goals,” he added.
Looking ahead, Aidil remains focused on further improvement.
“We cannot rest. We have to recover quickly and keep getting better for the next game against Sabah FC,” he said.
Kuching City FC’s win sets up a thrilling quarter-final showdown with Sabah FC, with Aidil’s side eager to build on their momentum and continue their Malaysia Cup run.
