Kuching City advanced to Quarter-Final round after beating Penang FC scoring 2-0 in the Unifi Piala Malaysia 2024/25 round of 16, second leg at Stadium Negeri, Kuching.
The game began evenly, with both teams struggling to dominate possession or create clear-cut chances. Kuching City’s first warning shot came in the 10th minute when Ramadhan Saifullah attempted a long-range strike, only for the ball to sail over the crossbar.
Penang FC responded with efforts to level the aggregate. However, Rodrigo Dias’ header in the 17th minute and Nik Akif Syahiran Nik Mat’s subsequent shot lacked precision to threaten KCFC’s goal.
The game took a decisive turn in the 41st minute when Penang FC’s Adib Raop was shown a red card following a VAR review. The footage confirmed that Raop committed a reckless challenge on Moses Atede, leaving PFC down to 10 players and facing an uphill battle.
The second half began with heightened intensity from KCFC. Penang FC narrowly avoided disaster in the 51st minute when Richmohd Ankrah’s back pass struck the post, leaving the visitors rattled.
Kuching City’s breakthrough came in the 67th minute. Petrus Shitembi’s precise pass found Tchetche Kipre, who clinically finished to give KCFC the lead on the night and double their aggregate advantage to 2-0.
With Penang struggling to regroup, Ramadhan Saifullah put the game beyond doubt in the 79th minute. The dynamic winger, who had scored the decisive goal in the first leg, struck again with a well-timed finish to extinguish any hopes of a Penang comeback.
KCFC’s disciplined performance underlines their growing stature in Malaysian football. With key contributions from Tchetche Kipre and Ramadhan Saifullah, the team is poised to pose a significant challenge to their next opponent in the quarter-finals.
Credit Photo : KCFC
