Penang FC were denied victory dramatically after Sabah FC scored a stoppage-time equaliser to secure a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the Malaysia Challenge Cup 2025/26 final at Stadium Bandaraya, Pulau Pinang.
The closely contested encounter saw both sides produce moments of attacking intent, setting up a finely balanced second leg scheduled to take place at Likas Stadium on April 19.
Penang began the match with attacking duo Tcheche Kipre and Dylan Wenzel-Halls leading the charge as the hosts attempted to break down Sabah’s defence early.
The Rhinos, meanwhile, relied on goalkeeper Damien Lim to marshal the backline and keep Penang’s offensive threats at bay.
Both teams played at a high tempo from the opening whistle, each determined to gain an early advantage in the first leg of the final.
Kipré came close to giving Penang the lead with a powerful strike, but his effort flew wide of the Sabah goal. At the other end, Sabah threatened on the counterattack through Ondong Mba, whose attempt also failed to hit the target.
Despite several attacking moves from both sides, neither team managed to find the breakthrough, and the first half ended 0-0.
After the interval, Sabah increased the intensity in search of a goal, but it was Penang who finally broke the deadlock in the 70th minute.
Australian forward Dylan Wenzel-Halls found the back of the net to give Penang a 1-0 lead, sending the home supporters at Stadium Bandaraya into celebration.
Sabah responded by pushing forward aggressively, with striker Darren Lok creating several dangerous opportunities. However, Penang goalkeeper Ramdhan Hamid produced crucial saves to maintain his team’s advantage.
Just when Penang looked set to take a narrow advantage into the return leg, Sabah struck deep into stoppage time.
The Rhinos were awarded a penalty after a foul inside the Penang penalty area, and Gabriel Peres stepped up to calmly convert from the spot to level the score at 1-1.
The late equaliser ensures the tie remains wide open heading into the decisive second leg at Likas Stadium.
Credit Photo : Penang FC
