Kuching City Makes History by Reaching Malaysia Cup Final; Sarawak Governor and Premier Witness Victory On-Site

(Kuching, 19th) Kuching City Football Club (Kuching City FC) made history on Saturday (April 18), defeating Selangor FC 1-0 in the second leg of the Malaysia Cup semi-finals at the Sarawak Stadium and advancing to the final for the first time with an aggregate score of 2-1.

According to the Sarawakku Facebook page, after a 1-1 draw in the first leg, Kuching City, under the leadership of head coach Aidil Sharin Sahak, showcased great discipline and successfully withstood fierce attacks led by visitors Faisal Halim and Mukhairi Ajmal.

Although Selangor held possession advantage in the opening stage, Kuching City broke the deadlock in the 30th minute when player Petrus Shitembi unleashed a powerful shot from outside the box, beating goalkeeper Kalamullah Al-Hafiz and triggering cheers from the entire crowd.

After conceding, Selangor under coach Kim Pan-gon stepped up their attack in the second half. However, in the 52nd minute, captain Safuwan Baharudin was sent off with a red card for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity after a VAR review, hampering Selangor's offense. Eleven minutes later, Mukhairi Ajmal was also sent off for a reckless foul, forcing Selangor to play with 9 men.

Kuching City fully capitalized on their numerical advantage, controlled the game tempo steadily until the final whistle, and successfully sealed their win to advance to the final.

On another note, Sarawak Public Communications Unit (Ukas) reported that Aidil stated the team hopes to prove their strength in the 2026 Malaysia Cup final. Despite facing Super League leaders Johor Darul Ta’zim FC at Bukit Jalil National Stadium in the final, he remains determined to fight for victory and strive for the championship.

He said: "This is what competition is about. We will face a strong team. I hope everyone enjoys today's match and atmosphere and brings this atmosphere to Bukit Jalil, so both strong teams can deliver a spectacular final."

Dignitaries in attendance that night included Sarawak Governor Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and wife, Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, and Kuching City chairman Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman, among others.