SIBU: A solitary goal from Jeffery Jandan Undi of SMK Saratok was enough to help the school edged SMK Sedaya 1-0 to lift the title of the 3rd edition of the Sarawak Football Development Programme (SFDP) Inter-zone football tournament at Stadium Tun Zaidi on Friday.
Collecting a pass from the left flank, Jeffery dribbled the ball towards the goal mouth before he fired an unstoppable shot in the 12th minute to give his team a deserving lead.
After play resumed, SMK Sedaya fought hard to search for an equaliser but it was never to arrive.
Asrizal Ramli of SMK Three Rivers and Paulus Legan of SMK Sg. Paoh were the tournament joint top scorers, both having scored six goals each.
The tournament best goalkeeper tag went to Philip Daing of SMK Kapit No. 2 while the best player title went to Kenny Douglas Mingat of SMK Sedaya.
Sarawak State Sports Council director Francis Nyurang Ding, speaking at the closing ceremony, said the aim of SFDP was to scout for talented young footballers and trained them to become future football rising stars.
He said outstanding players from the central region would be roped in to undergo intensive training in preparation for future state tournaments.
‘The first selection exercise will be conducted in December and hopefully, the players will be fully prepared, both mentally and physically for the selection exercise,” said Francis.
Francis said the five-year football development programme was paying off and they were also happy to note the improving football standard among the students.
A total of 14 schools from the central region took part in the championship organised jointly by Sibu Education Department and Sibu Sports Council.
Francis also reminded the players to show commitment and determination in whatever sports they indulged in.
He said there was no shortcut to success and the footballers had to pump in extra efforts if they wanted to attain bigger success.
He said they could also look to the 2012 London Olympic diving bronze medallist Pandelela Rinong as a role model and emulate her feat on how to become a successful sports person.