GEORGE TOWN: Penang FC’s narrow 0-1 defeat to Kuching City FC in the Malaysia Cup clash at Stadium Bandaraya last night was a tough blow for Wan Rohaimi Wan Ismail, who recently took charge of the team.
Despite the setback, the former national striker remained upbeat, commending his players for their improvement, particularly in their second-half performance.
Wan Rohaimi expressed confidence that the Harimau Kumbang could still turn things around in the second-leg match on Nov 30 at Stadium Negeri Sarawak.
“Overall, I’m pleased with their commitment, gameplay, and ‘never say die’ spirit—they didn’t give up until the final whistle. That’s a positive, even if the outcome didn’t go our way.
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“…What concerns me is when we can’t create chances. But today we showed the willingness to attack. Unfortunately, we couldn’t convert those chances into goals. For me, that’s still progress. I’m optimistic, and we will improve for the next game,” he said during a post-match press conference.
The 48-year-old coach added that he has about a week to prepare and intends to fully utilise the time to strengthen the team, particularly in tactics, especially with the upcoming away match before opposing fans.
Meanwhile, Kuching City FC cannot afford to be complacent despite their narrow lead, as they must work even harder to boost their chances of progressing to the next round.
Head coach Aidil Sharin Sahak emphasised that while his players performed well, they must avoid making unnecessary mistakes like those in the second half, which cost the team several opportunities to extend their lead.
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“I think football is all about 50-50 percent chances. Anything can happen, even if you are leading 4-0. We have seen many teams still winning against the odds. We just need to focus on the second leg. We have cleared only one-half.
“We have to work doubly hard in the second half. Again, we are playing at home and want Penang to come up with a game plan to attack.
“The more they attack, the more they will give us space at the back. This is the plan: in the second leg, we’ll focus on our game strategy and aim to secure a win at home for our fans,” he said.
