KUCHING: Under the floodlights at the Sarawak State Stadium, Kuching City FC seemed destined for defeat.
But just when hope was fading, Ramadhan Saifullah soared above the rest to rescue his team, sealing a dramatic 1-1 draw against Perak FC in their final home match before the fasting month.
A passionate crowd backed The Cats throughout the thrilling encounter, as they fought back to earn a crucial point against The Gaurs at the Sarawak State Stadium last night (Feb 7).
The match kicked off with an early scare, as Danial Amier’s shot in the 3rd minute was deflected by a Perak defender for a corner.
In the 9th minute, Danial came close again, his shot narrowly missing the post from outside the penalty box.
Then, in the 14th minute, Muhammad Firdaus Saiyadi showcased some quick footwork, twisting and turning past the Kuching goalkeeper before executing a precise pass to striker Clayton Da Silva, who made no mistake with the assist.
However it was briefly checked for offside, but the referee allowed it to stand.
Kuching responded with plenty of energy. Zahrul Nizwan’s cross was well-placed, but Perak’s keeper got a hand to it and sent it out for a corner.
The second half saw Tcheche Kipre come close with a header, but it went just wide of the side netting.
Minutes later, Yuki Tanigawa’s header rattled the post, and another attempt went wide as Kuching relentlessly pressed Perak’s defense.
Then came the breakthrough. Zahrul Nizwan delivered a perfect long cross into the penalty box, where Ramadhan Saifullah rose above everyone to head the ball into the far post, leveling the score at 1-1.
Jimmy Raymond tried his luck with a powerful shot, but it just missed the target by inches.
Kuching nearly grabbed a dramatic late winner when Tchetche Kipre’s header was brilliantly saved by Perak’s goalkeeper Haziq Nadzli, who made a tremendous stretch to keep the ball out.
In the end, the match finished 1-1, with Kuching City staying in sixth place in the league on 22 points, just one point behind Perak, who sit in fifth.
