KUCHING: Kuching City FC and Sabah FC went head-to-head like two battered fighters in a 12-round bout.
One was dazed by the black eye of an early blow, with both sides taking turns to absorb punishment, seemingly on the verge of throwing in the towel.
The noise was deafening on Sunday (Dec 15) at the Sarawak State Stadium, a venue that has witnessed some of football’s most historic moments.
It is the Malaysia Cup, quarter-finals first leg and in a sport famed for its fine margins, Sabah appeared to enjoy a stroke of luck on the night.
This was the second encounter in just two weeks between the two sides – a true Borneo Derby classic.
Kuching came out strong, applying early pressure and forcing Sabah into several passing errors in the opening 10 minutes, with slick and smooth passing from The Cats.
Sabah’s Stuart Wilkin, recalled from national duty with Harimau Malaya, blasted a shot from distance, but Kuching’s goalkeeper Wan Muhammad Azraie had it covered.
The visitors broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute when a header from Muhammad Farhan Roslan gave Sabah a 1-0 lead.
A true test of a team’s character is how they respond to setbacks. Could Kuching City FC regain their composure and build momentum?
Just before halftime, Kuching were knocking on Sabah’s door, desperately seeking an equaliser, but they were unable to find the back of the net.
With midfield maestro Danial Amier away on national duty, Kuching’s midfield looked shaky.
In response, head coach Aidil Sharin made three substitutions with 30 minutes remaining – Jordan Mintah, Rodney Celvin, and Zahrul Nizwan.
There were noticeable tactical changes: Rodney moved into a centre-back role, while Yuki Tanigawa was shifted to a more defensive midfield position.
His constant running and pressure became a serious threat to the Rhinos.
Sabah responded by bringing on Cifu to try and possibly nullify Yuki’s impact.
Aidil’s half-time team talk appeared to have worked, as his men came out rejuvenated after the break.
Yuki’s relentless running caused problems for Sabah, with the visitors likely mistaking him for a forward at times.
He surged through the halfway line and passed to Ramadhan Saifullah, whose curling shot narrowly missed the target, skimming over the bar.
Every time Kuching had a set-piece or a corner, the home fans were on edge, with over 2,300 supporters shouting for a goal.
In the 83rd minute, Kuching’s Petrus Shitembi was brought down, much to the satisfaction of the home crowd.
However, the referee reviewed the decision via VAR and awarded a free-kick instead of a penalty.
Some might argue that the Sabah’s Jafri Firdaus who fouled him should have received a red card for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity, but the referee only issued a yellow card for the foul.
Another frustrating evening for the home fans as a throw-in, which appeared to have bounced off a Sabah defender, was awarded to the visitors, leaving the crowd in the Kuching corner fuming at the linesman.
Much like a boxing match, there was ultimately one winner – and it was the men in the blue corner.
The men in white now face another 90 minutes in the second leg, heading to Stadium Likas for another classic encounter.
It promises to be an entertaining historic affair – after all, the ball is round, and anything can happen.
