CONGRATULATIONS: Mawan (third left) present the challenge trophy to Kuching team after their win against ATM yesterday. Also seen in the photo are Antonio Kahti Galis (first left), Sazali Abdul Rahman (second, left) and Datu Sudarsono Osman (fourth left).
MIRI: Defending champions Kuching successfully retained their title after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over the highly-rated Armed Forces (ATM) in a highly-charged final of 2012 Sarawak Cup championship held at the Miri Stadium yesterday evening.
Both teams fought gallantly in regulation time with many goal-scoring opportunities thwarted by excellent defence. It took a solitary goal from Kuching’s Wan Ismawi Wan Saet in extra time to separate the victor and the vanquished.
In the 64th minute, ATM had to play with ten men after one of their key players got a straight red card.
The win by Kuching does not diminished the fact that the other divisions are fast catching up on their football development programmes as teams like Limbang and Miri very nearly causing upsets in the last eight and semi-finals, despite lacking in star players donning their jerseys.
Kuching coach, Burhaniza Abu Bakar commented that he was satisfied with his team’s overall performances today that enabled them to defend the champion’s title.
“All credits are to my players. They worked so hard and played well in the game,” he told The Borneo Post.
Burhaniza considered their match against ATM as one of the toughest as their adversary has matured to become one of the strongest competitors in the local football scene.
“We faced some difficulties in the first and second half of the game because both teams played good attacking football and what differentiate us with their win was they have more experience than us in this competition. They were the defending champion and they also have more star players, thus that added to their advantage,” said ATM’s team manager Lt Col Jamaluddin Yaakob.
He added that the defeat was not a complete surprise. Jamaluddin was however proud of his team’s commitment and hard work that has brought them all the way to the final.
“It has been a long journey for us to be here in the final of the Sarawak Cup today (yesterday). For us to be here today competing against Kuching in the final is truly magical indeed,” he added.
ATM however emerged as a team to be reckoned with in the competition with a no-lost record in their road to the final. During the semi-finals last Saturday, ATM shot down Limbang 4-1 while Kuching defeated PDRM 2-0.
This year’s award for best player in the competition went to Kuching’s Mohd Shahrizan Sahari.
Present at the final yesterday to present the trophy was state Senior Minister and Minister of Social Development Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom, together with Miri Resident Antonio Kahti Galis, Football Association of Sarawak (FAS) president Datu Sudarsono Osman and FAS vice president Sazali Abdul Rahman.