Kuching City FC delivered a masterclass in attacking football on Thursday, dismantling Kelantan Red Warriors with a emphatic 5-0 victory at Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium in Paroi. The dominant performance showcased the Sarawakian club's credentials as genuine title contenders, while Kelantan's porous defence continues to haunt the bottom-placed team as they struggle to find their footing in the 2024 campaign.
The visitors wasted little time in establishing control, with Muhammad Ramadhan Saifullah Usman opening the floodgates in the seventh minute when he executed a diving finish past goalkeeper Amin Faisal Mohd Saidi. This early breakthrough set the tone for what would become a one-sided affair, immediately placing Kelantan on the back foot and forcing them into a defensive posture they were unable to recover from throughout the ninety minutes.
Kuching City doubled their advantage just seven minutes later when import player Jerome Mpacko Etame capitalized on a midfield opportunity, receiving possession in a central position before firing a clinical finish past the helpless Kelantan goalkeeper. The Cameroonian forward's movement and positioning demonstrated the quality difference between the two sides, as Kelantan's backline repeatedly found themselves outnumbered and out-thought by their opponents' fluid attacking patterns.
The third goal arrived shortly after halftime, with Muhammad Safawi Rasid's powerful long-range strike finding the net and exposing the vulnerabilities in Kelantan's defensive structure. This goal proved particularly damaging to the home side's morale, as it arrived during the period when teams typically attempt to regain momentum following the interval. Instead, Kelantan appeared increasingly resigned to their fate as Kuching City continued to probe for openings with increasing frequency and precision.
Jerome Mpacko Etame added his second goal in the 54th minute, latching onto a precise cross from Filemon Anyie Standly on the right flank to extend Kuching City's advantage to four. The Sarawakian club's ability to construct attacking opportunities from both flanks highlighted their superiority in midfield control and their capacity to create numerical advantages in dangerous areas. Kelantan's midfield offered virtually no resistance to these attacks, allowing Kuching City full freedom to orchestrate play from the center of the pitch.
Muhammad Safawi capped off the rout just two minutes later with a swift finishing touch from close range, bringing the final tally to five and ensuring this would be remembered as one of the more emphatic performances of the Super League season. The speed with which Kuching City moved through the gears—scoring five goals against a defensively fragile opponent—raises serious questions about Kelantan's ability to compete at this level and whether they possess the quality to mount a genuine promotion challenge.
This victory propels Kuching City to second place in the Super League standings, a position reflecting their ambitions to challenge for the championship. The club's attacking prowess has become increasingly apparent through the season, and performances of this caliber suggest they will be genuine contenders come the business end of the campaign. For Malaysian football observers, Kuching City's emergence as a force represents a positive development for regional diversity in the domestic game.
Kelantan Red Warriors, by contrast, remain rooted at the bottom of the table following their second consecutive defeat. The scale of this loss—coupled with their earlier setback—suggests systemic issues that extend beyond individual matches. Whether the coaching staff can implement tactical adjustments to shore up their defence before the league reaches its critical phase remains to be seen, though the magnitude of this defeat cannot inspire confidence among Kelantan supporters.
In a separate fixture at Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium, KL City FC claimed their first victory of the season in equally dramatic fashion, edging out visiting DPMM FC 1-0. The encounter remained goalless through an open first half, with both Felipe Aspegren and Paulo Josue squandering presentable opportunities for their respective teams. The breakthrough finally arrived deep into injury time, providing Dollah Salleh's side a crucial psychological boost and the three points they desperately needed.
The match's decisive moment came amid considerable adversity for KL City, who were reduced to ten men when midfielder Gary Steven Robat received a red card following a foul in the closing stages. Rather than capitulating under the additional pressure, KL City showed resilience and determination, launching a rapid counterattack in injury time that yielded the winning goal. DPMM thought they had salvaged an equalizer through Dalbero Luan Belo, but the goal was correctly ruled out for offside, denying the visiting Bruneian side a share of the points.
