By FRANCIS XAVIER
KOTA KINABALU: Sepanggar FC made a strong start to their campaign after trouncing Kiulu 4-1 in a Group A opener in the KDM Malaysia Football League 2018-2019 challenge on Sunday. Star-studded Telupid also recorded a comfortable 2-0 win over their Group E rivals Labuan, while Papar, Ranau and Karambunai also sounded an early warning after recording the league’s biggest wins thus far. Papar, who are the first edition’s FA Cup winners, thrashed Kuala Penyu 6-1 in a Group D battle, while in another Group D encounter Ranau demolished Kedamaian 5-1 with Karambunai strolling to a 6-3 win over Kundasang in a Group E tie.
But the story of the opening week of the second edition of the competition organised by Kadazan Dusun Murut Organisation (KDM) Malaysia with the cooperation of the Youth and Sports Ministry Sabah certainly belongs to Sepanggar FC. The club was giving away attractive lucky draw prizes to the fans that turned out for the match. Among the prizes were electrical goods such as television sets and so on.
And that is not all as club patron, Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman was also among the hundreds of fans that turned up to support the team. The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs also distributed club T-shirts as well as club stickers to the fans. Others that were also present at the match were Sabah Football Association Deputy President I Hamid Abdal and Vice President Mohd Ismail Ayub. On the field, the team did well enough to reward their fans by nicking a victory. Sepanggar FC, coached by former national women’s head coach, Mohd Asyraaf Fong Abdullah, took a 1-0 lead at half time through Mohd Razle Puteh’s spot-kick two minutes before the break.
In the second half, Mohd Razle struck his second at the hour mark with a powerful drive from outside the penalty box before Yuhendri Rusdi made it 3-0 in the 70th minute. In the 80th minute, Kiulu reduced the deficit with a goal before Mohd Hazrin Ismail sealed Sepanggar FC’s win with the fourth goal seven minutes from time. “We are happy to register a victory in our opening match as it would help us instil greater confidence and belief in the team,” said Sepanggar FC assistant team manager Redzuan Garin Ismail after the match.
“I hope this win helps inspire the players to train harder and put up better shows in our upcoming matches,” he added. As for Telupid, who are strengthened by almost a dozen ex-State players, including two former State captains, namely Mohd Reithudin and Rosdin Wasli, they scored one goal in each half to sink the Islanders. It was former State striker Jufrey Omopor who scored a brace. The likes of Sumardi Hajalan, Razlan Oto, Zuraindey Jumai, Ronny Harun, Tekson Tubeng, Fread Filemon Saih, Masmilan Anil Matlan were all in the team list. These players have donned State colours either with the senior or President’s Cup squad. The league continues this weekend.
