SINGAPORE: Selangor FC coach Kim Pan-gon sought to keep expectations in check after his side moved to the top of Group A of the 2025/26 Asean Club Championship Shopee Cup with a 2-0 win over Cong An Hanoi FC on Wednesday, which eliminated last season’s runners-up.
Two goals in nine second-half minutes from Shopee Star of the Match Faisal Halim earned the Malaysia Super League side a result that takes them one point clear at the summit with one round of group matches remaining as Selangor eye a first appearance in the competition’s knockout rounds.
“This win is very, very important for us,” said Kim, who took over at the club in January. “Our objective is to reach the semi-finals.
“With the results today, the situation is positive for us, and it gives us more motivation going into the next match. Our players will fight for that again at home, and I really appreciate the way they have created this atmosphere and performance together.”
Selangor will host second-placed BG Pathum United FC next Wednesday in a clash that will determine the fate of both clubs in the competition, with a draw enough to take the Malaysian club into the last four.
“It is still a long way to go, but home matches are especially important for us,” said Kim, who has now guided Selangor to five consecutive wins in all competitions since he was appointed.
“We want to build Selangor FC’s culture and DNA, and we want our home ground to become a strong fortress.
“At home, we want to give good performances and good results to our fans. The result always depends on many factors, but we will always strive to do our best. This winning feeling is important, and we hope it becomes part of our culture.
“There are many areas we can still improve — physically, organisationally, and individually, especially in terms of finishing.
“We cannot get carried away by this result. There is still a lot of work to do and a lot of room for improvement.”
The result at MBPJ Stadium means Hanoi FC has no chance of making a return to the final, where they were defeated in May by Buriram United FC, and coach Mano Polking was attempting to move on quickly from the defeat.
“We really need to focus because on Sunday we have a very big game in our league, where we can go to the top of the table,” he said.
“We need to forget about this match and move on. It is one of the official competitions, but we are still doing well in the league, and we are still in the continental competition. That is our focus from now on — forget and move on.”
