PETALING JAYA: A painful 1-7 defeat to the Kuching City two months ago will be a stark reminder when Brunei take on the hosts in the Super League game at the State Stadium in Kuching tomorrow.
The Borneo derby will be the first clash since the Cats hammered Brunei in the round of 16 of the FA Cup on Sept 14.
Defensive stalwart Fairuz Zakaria of Brunei said the clash was not about revenge, but about restoring pride and rebuilding confidence, with the team currently sitting in 11th place in the Super League.
“Our goal is to bring back at least one point to Brunei, even though we know the threat that await us,” said Fairuz.
“Every Kuching player needs close attention, and that is our main challenge because their momentum is very strong at the moment.’’
Fairuz admitted that their big defeat to Kuching City had been a defining moment for the squad.
“That FA Cup loss was a full stop – a point where we decided to move forward. It became our turning point as we fight to secure our second win in the Super League,” he said.
They kept the score lower when they lost 0-4 to Kuala Lumpur on Sept 22, followed by a 1-2 defeat to Kelantan on Sept 26.
They returned stronger after that to win their Super League game after beating Melaka 1-0 on Oct 1.
