Striker Safie Talip scores a last minute winner to earn KJFC a 2-1 victory over Immigration FC in the M3 League tie in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan on Saturday. – Photo courtesy of Hanif Ismail.

KOTA KINABALU (Feb 20): Striker Safie Talip netted a last minute winner as Kinabalu Jaguar FC (KJFC) secured a first win in the M3 League campaign on Saturday.

Zulkifly Harun was also on the scoresheet for KJFC with his first half strike while Muhd Arif Ismail replied for Immigration FC in the game that ended 2-1 in favour of the Sabah clubside at the USIM Stadium in Nilai.

“The team produced a much improved performance than in the opening game last week.

“The players carried out the instructions well in the game … we are satisfied with the result,” team manager Adzhar Mohamad said yesterday.

As expected, head coach Mohd Aiyyman Shah Johny Abdullah started returning duo Leopold Alfonso and Mohd Aidil Safee in a bid to boost the team quality up front.

And the move paid off as KJFC took the lead in the 17th minute through Zulkifly, who got to the end of Mohd Jayman Mohd Jaymi’s cross before guiding the ball home.

KJFC continued to dominate the game but without much success in front of the opponents’ goal, and it proved costly.

Immigration FC were awarded a penalty kick in the 67th minute after a foul by Mohd Zaki Sapri inside the box.

Muhd Arif made no mistake to beat KJFC goalkeeper Mohd Sakri Masri with a confident strike.

The game looked destined to end in a draw until Safie intervened, as the former state senior squad striker who came on for Zulkifly earlier applied a perfect finish to Mohd Azwan Fattah’s corner kick to give KJFC all three points.

“As I’ve said the team gave a better performance but at the same time, there are rooms for improvement still.

“We dominated the game and after taking the lead, the players seemed to lose their focus.

“We can be much better and hopefully that will be the case when we play our next league fixture,” said Adzhar.

Meanwhile, the team manager said midfield general Sabri Sahar will have regained his full fitness by the time KJFC go into their first home game of the season against FC Langkawi at the Likas Stadium on February 26.

KJFC with one win and a defeat are currently sixth in the 10-team Group A of the M3 League on three points.

Manjung City FC lead on maximum six points while Tun Razak City FC and Ultimate FC have four points each to complete the top three.