IN a thrilling encounter at the Likas Stadium on Saturday, Kuching City FC emerged victorious in the much-anticipated first Borneo Derby this season, defeating Sabah FC with a 2-0 scoreline.
The final score actually flattens the visitors. In my opinion, the high-stakes clash was far from a one-sided affair. It was decided by the lethal, clinical finishing of Ajdin Mujagic. His first-half brace practically settled the tie in a chaotic 20-minute blitz.
The breakthrough arrived just five minutes in, from a lapse in concentration by Fadzrul Danel. Mujagic won the ball and unleashed an audacious, 30-yard rocket that caught Sabah FC”s goalkeeper Juan Flere and everyone by surprise and flew into the back of the net.
The early blow visibly deflated Sabah FC. As the players struggled to regain their composure, a second defensive error in the 20th minute—this time by R. Danesh—gifted Mujagic another pocket of space. He struck again from distance, beating Flere with sheer, unstoppable power to extend the lead.
Despite a spirited second-half revival, Sabah FC ultimately paid the price for missed opportunities.
They repeatedly threatened to break the deadlock, most notably in the 52nd minute when Darren Lok was brilliantly denied by the opposition’s goalkeeper from close range, while Miguel Cifuentes unleashed a powerful strike, only to watch it agonisingly shave the wrong side of the crossbar as well.
Overall, the players performed reasonably well under the circumstances, showing great resilience just three days after a gruelling 2-2 draw against Selangor FC in the first leg of the FA Cup, aside from the two costly mistakes.
Head coach Juan Torres Garrido must prepare to tackle the existing weaknesses in the team. I am hoping to see better cohesion among the players and they must seek to eliminate the silly errors that have hindered their progress.
It’s still early days in the season, and there is plenty of football left to play. However, for us to truly hit our stride, we need to see our reserve players step up and make an impact.
Their involvement could be a game-changer in a tight game. Bringing fresh energy off the bench will be vital to support tired starters and inject new life into the tactical set-up.
