KOTA SAMARAHAN: Serian FA has qualified for the Sarawak Premier League semi-finals, but the team still has areas to improve, says club president Philip Jabu.
Having sealed their place in the last four with a 6–1 aggregate victory over Kapit FA at Stadium Unimas here last night (Jan 18), Philip said the team’s overall performance, particularly in the first half of the second-leg match, was below expectations.
He noted that Serian missed several chances and appeared less sharp early on, attributing the inconsistency to a combination of tactical decisions and possible chemistry issues among players.
“There are still areas that need to be improved. Our play must be tightened in all positions ahead of the semi-finals,” he said, adding that the coaching staff would review the match to identify what needed to be corrected.
Philip also suggested that the team’s reliance on wide play in certain phases of the match may have contributed to a lack of balance, though he acknowledged that this could have been part of the coach’s tactical approach.
Despite the shortcomings, he was encouraged by the improvement shown after the break, describing the second-half performance as more composed and organised.
Philip also credited Kapit FA for their fighting spirit, noting that the visitors remained competitive despite the scoreline.
“Although they lost, Kapit gave us a good challenge and tested us. It was a useful match for us to identify our weaknesses,” he said.
In the semi-finals, Serian FA are set to face Samarahan FA after eliminating Miri with a 5–1 aggregate victory, Philip stressed the importance of sharpening the team’s overall play and building better understanding among the players.
“We need to be better prepared for the semi-finals. The mistakes we made must be corrected so that we can perform at a higher level,” he added.
