KENINGAU: The Tenom District School Sports Council (MSSD Tenom) team emerged as champions of the 2026 Sabah School Sports Council (MSSS) Under-18 Football Championship after defeating MSSD Keningau 4-0 in the final match.
MSSD Keningau had to settle for runners-up, while MSSD Ranau took third place in the tournament.
The impressive victory proves the capability of young players from the interior region to compete at a higher level, while highlighting the immense potential of football talent found in the district.
Keningau FA Vice President Moddy Patrick said the tournament serves as an important platform in efforts to identify and unearth young talent to be highlighted at the State and national levels.
He said the success of Tenom and Keningau in advancing to the final also proves that the interior region boasts many talented young players with the potential to go further if provided with continuous training, guidance and exposure.
He said that player development at the school level must continue to receive attention as it is among the best platforms to produce the next generation of Sabah football players in the future.
He added that players who displayed top performances throughout the tournament stand a chance of being selected to represent Sabah at the Malaysian School Sports Council (MSSM) Championship.
Meanwhile, Moddy hopes that the selected players can make the most of the opportunity to gain experience, improve their quality of play and deliver their best performances to carry Sabah’s name at the national level.
He also congratulated MSSD Tenom on their success as champions, as well as MSSD Keningau for putting up a strong fight to finish as runners-up.
He said the achievements of both teams should serve as a catalyst for efforts to strengthen grassroots football development, particularly in the interior of Sabah, to produce more quality players in the future.
