Gapor beat Spaoh 4-1 to emerge SFDP champion

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CELEBRATING: SMK DPHA Gapor carrying their coach to mark the celebration after becoming the champion team of the SFDP Inter-Center Southern Zone Football Tournament here yesterday.

KUCHING: SMK DPHA Gapor scored a resounding 4-1 victory over SMK Spaoh to win the 2nd Sarawak Football Development Programme (SFDP) Inter-Centre Southern Zone Football Tournament at SMK Tabuan Jaya field here yesterday.

Abdul Rahim drew first blood after just three minutes while Axconny Khiu added to the score five minutes later to make it 2-0.

Trailing 2-0 Richard Lugom of SMK Spaoh pull off a goal in the 33rd minute, when Gapor’s keeper made a poor goal kick, narrowing the score to 2-1.

Gapor responded to the challenge with a convincing performance to stay for the championship title bid, Abdul Rahim and Muhd Muizziddin scored in the 64th and the 67th minutes for the 4-1 lead.

After the goals SMK Spaoh was raiding toward Gapor side but nevertheless was too late to make any change to the score sheet.

They had to conceive defeat to their opponent who was cheered by hundreds of supporters.

However, SMK Spaoh did not go home empty handed when one of their players Nazreen Ismail was adjudged the best player while SMK DPAH Gapor’s Romario Manjah received the most goals scorer award.

Meanwhile, in another match played yesterday afternoon, SMK Lundu retained their third position of the tournament after beating SMK Saratok 3-2 in a closely contested match.

The prize giving ceremony was officiated by the
Ministry of Social Development and Urbanisation (KPSU) permanent secretary Soedirman Aini.

Also present was Sarawak former coach Alan Vest.

The tournament was organised by the State Education Department and hosted by Kuching District Education Office with technical assistance from Football Association of Sarawak (FAS) and funding from the Sarawak State Sports Council (MSNS).

SFDP is a five-year programme implemented by KPSU through MSNS
with the main objective to develop football at school’s level.

Speaking after the tournament, MSNS Football Development project director Lucas Kallang said the overall performances were much better as compared to 2010.

“It is obvious that the players play better game this year and they are more skilful and talented.

Besides that, game qualities had also improved tremendously. It is a good progress in football for the state.

“We will look closely into potential players, especially those under-17 and are considering to put them into the state youth team at the soonest,” he said.

On the other hand, Lucas also expressed his
gratitude to the State Education Department for hosting the event successfully.

“I would like to thank the organisers, this is definitely a very good step taken for the sake of the football development in the state,” he added.