Kuching City FC looks to pounce on Kelantan Warriors again

KUCHING (Dec 30): Kuching City FC will look to sustain their title charge into the new year when they take on Kelantan ‘The Real Warriors’ (TRW) in their Malaysia Super League clash at Stadium Sultan Muhammad Ke-IV in Kota Bharu on Jan 2.

The Cats are currently enjoying one of the best spells in the club’s history. They sit second in the league standings after 12 matches, level on 25 points with Kuala Lumpur City but ahead on goal difference.

Kuching City head into the match on the back of a hard-fought 1–1 draw with KL City on Christmas Eve. That result kept them firmly in the title race and within striking distance of league leaders Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) ahead of their much-anticipated match on Jan 13.

Under head coach Aidil Sharin Sahak, the Kuching outfit touts solid defence and a sharp attacking edge behind their consistent performance this season.

Forward Ronald Ngah has been in fine form leading the team’s scoring charts with eight goals in all competitions. Ramadhan Saifullah has played the key creative role, contributing five goals and four assists.

Midfielders Petrus Shitembi and Moses Atede are also expected to play pivotal roles to control possession and break down Kelantan’s defence.

The team’s defence is marshalled by captain James Okwuosa with an enviable record of conceding just six goals in 12 league matches so far.

The Cats will also derive confidence from their previous meeting with Kelantan TRW when they cruised to a convincing 4–0 victory at Stadium Negeri in August.

Meanwhile, Kelantan TRW are placed 10th in the table and have struggled for consistency after conceding 24 goals in 12 league outings.

Despite their difficulties, the East Coast side can be expected to pose a stern test at home. The Kota Bharu crowd is known to provide a challenging atmosphere for visiting teams.

The match is scheduled to kick off at 9pm as Kuching City aims to extend their impressive run of 10 consecutive away matches without a loss and keep up the pressure on  league leaders JDT into the new year.