Kuching City FC put on a clinical display of attacking football to demolish Kelantan Red Warriors 5-0 in a lopsided Super League encounter at Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium in Paroi on August 29. The victory represents one of the season's most convincing displays by the Sarawak-based outfit and underscores the growing gulf in quality between the league's top and bottom tiers.
The hosts wasted little time establishing their dominance, with Muhammad Ramadhan Saifullah Usman breaking the deadlock in just the seventh minute. His diving header sent the ball past goalkeeper Amin Faisal Mohd Saidi, setting an aggressive tempo that Kelantan would struggle to match throughout the afternoon. The early breakthrough forced the visitors to chase the game from the outset, a challenging position that proved insurmountable against an increasingly confident Kuching City side.
Just seven minutes later, Kuching City doubled their advantage through import player Jerome Mpacko Etame, who converted a cutback from midfield with a composed finish. This rapid succession of goals suggested tactical coherence and clinical finishing from the host side, elements that have been central to their push toward the league summit. The two-goal cushion by the quarter-hour mark meant Kelantan faced an uphill battle to engineer any meaningful comeback.
Muhammad Safawi Rasid extended the lead to three before the half-time interval, capitalizing on defensive frailties in the Kelantan backline with a well-struck effort that gave goalkeeper Amin Faisal no realistic chance of a save. By this stage, the contest had effectively been decided, transforming into a question of how many goals Kuching City would accumulate rather than whether they would win. The one-sided nature of the affair reflected broader questions about competitive balance within the Super League structure.
The second half saw Kuching City continue their relentless attacking approach rather than consolidate their substantial advantage. Jerome Mpacko Etame notched his second goal of the day in the 54th minute, finishing off a delivery from Filemon Anyie Standly to effectively seal a rout. Just two minutes later, Safawi Rasid completed his brace with a clinical strike close to goal, bringing the final tally to five and emphasizing Kuching City's comprehensive superiority across all departments.
This emphatic victory propelled Kuching City to second place in the Super League table, positioning them among the competition's elite performers. The triumph demonstrates their capability to compete at the highest domestic level and suggests they possess the attacking resources to challenge for honours. Conversely, Kelantan Red Warriors remained entrenched at the bottom of the standings following their second consecutive defeat, a position that raises serious concerns about their league status and competitive viability.
In parallel action at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium, KL City FC secured their first victory of the season in a markedly different contest against DPMM FC. The Malaysian capital side edged out their visitors by a solitary goal in what proved a far more tightly contested affair, delivering relief to their technical staff after an uncertain start to the campaign. The victory came under trying circumstances, with KL City forced to defend with reduced numbers during the closing stages.
The match remained goalless through a competitive first half, with both sides creating chances that went begging. Felipe Aspegren's deflection off the crossbar in the 28th minute offered DPMM genuine opportunity, while Paulo Josue's wide attempt from the edge of the box in the 38th minute represented KL City's closest effort. The deadlock persisted into the second half, with neither team willing to take excessive risks as both sought the breakthrough that would ultimately determine the outcome.
KL City's task was complicated when midfielder Gary Steven Robat received a straight red card late in the match for a rash challenge, forcing Dollah Salleh's men to operate with ten players during the match's critical final moments. Remarkably, rather than retreat into defensive posture, the reduced hosts managed to find the net in injury time, a striking demonstration of character and attacking intent when circumstances might have suggested otherwise. The timing of the goal, coupled with numerical disadvantage, magnified the significance of the breakthrough.
DPMM responded almost immediately when Dalbero Luan Belo appeared to have restored parity, but the effort was ruled out for offside by the officials. This controversial moment proved decisive, denying the Brunei-based club what would have been a deserved point and preserving KL City's slender advantage. The final whistle delivered what represented not merely a vital three points but psychological momentum heading into forthcoming fixtures, alongside relief that their opening campaign had finally produced a positive result.
