KUCHING: Kuching City FC climbed to fourth place after a commanding 3-0 victory over Kedah Darul Aman FC.
The Cats, with 33 points, surged past Terengganu FC, who sit on 32 points.
Goals from Hazwan Bakri, Ramadhan Saifullah, and Jordan Mintah sealed the win, further solidifying their position in the league.
Hazwan opened account in the 44th minute, capitalising on a brilliant run by Petrus Shitembi.
Shitembi expertly released Tcheche Kipre down the byline, who then crossed it for Hazwan to tap in with ease.
The City Boys, playing at the Sarawak State Stadium last night (Mar 12) and backed by their passionate twelfth man, were relentless in attack.
Skipper James Okwuosa came close with a header that went wide, while Hazwan’s header was saved by Kedah goalkeeper Ifwat Akmal earlier in the match.
In the 59th minute, Ramadhan Saifullah doubled Kuching’s lead.
After Kedah’s Ifwat punched out a corner, Ramadhan calmly collected the ball in the penalty box and slotted it home to make it 2-0.
Kedah fought back, with Hasbullah Abu Bakar testing Kuching goalkeeper Wan Azraie in the 70th minute, but the keeper was up to the task, preserving his clean sheet.
Wan Azraie, who had a relatively quiet first half, was suddenly kept busy in the second half.
He made a crucial double save in the 86th minute, denying Kedah’s Afeeq Iqmal and keeping his side’s 2-0 lead intact.
The match was an exciting back-and-forth, with Kuching pushing for a third goal while Kedah looked to narrow the deficit.
Their efforts were rewarded in stoppage time, as Jordan Mintah bagged his 12th goal of the season.
With Ifwat and a defender scrambling to clear the ball, Mintah was in the right place at the right time to tap in an easy goal, sealing the 3-0 win in extra time.
A thrilling night for Kuching City FC, as they continue to push forward in the league.
Next, Kuching will face Selangor FC for a fascinating encounter this Sunday (Mar 16) on homeground.
