SAMARAHAN: The spoils were shared as Kuching FA and Samarahan FA battled to a 1-1 draw in the Sarawak Premier League 2025 fixture at the Kota Samarahan Open Stadium on Saturday.
Samarahan drew first blood in the 60th minute when Faridz Amirul Sepawi powered home a header from a precise cross on the left flank, sending the home supporters into celebration.
However, Kuching FA responded swiftly.
Just three minutes later, Mohammad Harith Akmal Jafarudin nodded in the equaliser, also from a well-placed cross, to restore parity at 1-1.
The match took a dramatic turn in the 70th minute when Samarahan’s Muhammad Firdaus Fauzi was shown a second yellow for a heavy challenge, having earlier received a yellow card.
Despite being reduced to ten men, Samarahan held firm under mounting pressure from Kuching, with both sides squandering several chances to find a late winner.
The result leaves Kuching FA second in the standings with 14 points, while Samarahan FA remain close behind in third on 13 points.
“We’ll take this result as a valuable point. The players gave their all to secure a win, but it just wasn’t our day,” said Kuching head coach Nizam Mahmud when speaking to Sarawak Tribune.
Nizam admitted that his side failed to make full use of their numerical advantage after Samarahan were reduced to ten men.
Meanwhile, Samarahan Football Association (PBBS) president Mohd Azri Johari expressed satisfaction with his team’s overall performance despite being denied the full three points.
He said the players carried out their duties as instructed, but luck was not on their side to bring home all three points.
“We had several chances to extend our lead, but it just didn’t happen,” he said, while praising his players’ discipline and determination.
In their following Southern Zone encounter, Samarahan will next face PDRM at the same venue on November 8.
