KUCHING: Kuching City FC turned on the style at home to crush Brunei DPMM FC, sealing their passage into the FA Cup last eight in emphatic fashion.
Star striker Ronald Ngah Wanja led the charge with a superb hat-trick, while Danial Asri struck twice. Goals from Ramadhan Saifullah and Joao Pedro added further gloss to the scoreboard, as the Cats showcased their attacking firepower.
Brunei DPMM managed a consolation through Ramadhan Sanata, but it was never enough to stop Aidil Sharin’s men, who carried over their advantage from the first leg to dominate the tie 9-4 on aggregate.
Reflecting on the result, Aidil praised his players’ mentality, composure, and excellence in front of Sarawak State Stadium last night (Sept 14).
“Alhamdulillah, I have to congratulate my players for their massive performance and good win. The big difference tonight is we showed more hunger, and we knew we had to win.
“When we were there (Brunei), the game was still even. But here, with the fans behind us, that’s very important in football,” he told a post-match press conference.
Aidil also highlighted the impact of Joao Pedro, who returned from injury to find the net, describing it as a “good motivation” for the Timor Leste forward to rebuild confidence ahead of upcoming fixtures.
Another positive for Kuching City was the performance of young striker Gabriel Nistelrooy, who, despite not scoring, impressed his coach with movement and tactical discipline.
“Not all strikers have to score. What matters is the performance, the desire, and the way he followed the tactical plan. I am very pleased with him tonight,” Aidil added.
With their quarter-final place secured, KCFC will now switch focus back to the Malaysia Super League, where they next face Selangor FC on Sept 21.
Aidil acknowledged the challenge ahead but stressed the importance of home advantage.
“Selangor is a big team, and it won’t be easy. We are playing at home, and the disadvantage is going to be in the afternoon.
“Hopefully, the weather is good so both teams can play quality football for the fans,” he said.
For now, though, Aidil and his players are relishing the moment after a statement win that underlined Kuching City’s growing stature in Malaysian football.
