by DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Nov 5: Defying the odds and delivering an outstanding performance on home soil, Kuching City FC roared to a stunning 2-0 victory over South Korea’s Gangwon FC to claim their maiden win in the Asian Champions League 2 (ACL2) campaign at Taha Ariffin Stadium tonight.
The triumph in Group H match was led by Safawi Rasid, who struck twice in a blistering first-half display to fire The Cats to three crucial points and breathe new life into their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages.
According to a TVS report, The Cats wasted little time asserting their attacking intent, pressing high and taking the game to their Korean opponents from the opening whistle.
They thought they had taken an early lead in just the second minute when Jerome Etame’s play found the back of the net, but his effort was ruled out for offside after he latched onto a pass from Safawi.
The breakthrough eventually arrived in the 13th minute when Safawi unleashed a spectacular long-range effort from approximately 25 metres out, leaving Gangwon goalkeeper Kim Yuseong rooted to the spot as the ball flew into the net.
The home team’s persistence was not finished yet. Six minutes later, Safawi struck again in the 19th minute, completing his brace and doubling The Cats’ advantage.
With a two-goal cushion heading into the second half, Kuching City shifted their focus towards game management, mounting an air-tight defence and frustrating Gangwon’s attempts to mount a comeback.
The Cats stood firm under pressure and saw out the game to secure a memorable clean-sheet victory.
The result lifts Kuching City to four points from four matches, comprising one win, one draw and two defeats.
The Cats, according to TVS, will next host Phnom Penh Crown on Nov 26 before travelling to Hong Kong on Dec 3 for their final Group H fixture against Kitchee SC.
Before returning to continental action, Kuching City will also turn their attention to domestic duties, with the team set to face Selangor FC in the second leg of their semi-final clash in the Malaysia FA Cup this weekend. – DayakDaily
