Kuala Lumpur managed to secure a crucial 3-3 draw against Brunei in the first leg of their FA Cup quarter-final on Sunday, keeping their hopes alive ahead of the second leg scheduled for October 11 at the Cheras Football Stadium. The encounter, held at the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Stadium in Bandar Seri Begawan, saw Kuala Lumpur rally from a two-goal deficit to force a thrilling draw.
Brunei initially took control of the match, with Australian striker Jordan Murray opening the scoring in the 18th minute. Kuala Lumpur responded through a penalty converted by Paulo Josue in the 33rd minute, leveling the score at halftime. The hosts then pulled ahead early in the second half with goals from winger Farris Izdiham Awang Kechik and Portuguese midfielder Miguel Oliveira, pushing the score to 3-1 by the 58th minute.
However, Kuala Lumpur refused to concede defeat. In the final 20 minutes, the City Boys netted two headed goals, both assisted by Josue. Winger Baqiuddin Shamsuddin reduced the deficit in the 72nd minute before Fareed Sadat, returning from injury and representing Afghanistan internationally, completed the comeback in the 77th minute with a headed finish from a free kick.
Kuala Lumpur coach Datuk Dollah Salleh acknowledged that while the overall team performance did not fully meet his expectations, he praised the players’ fighting spirit. He revealed that Sadat was nearly substituted before scoring the equalizer, a decision swayed after a discussion with goalkeeper Ameerul Eqhwan Mohd Fauzi. Sadat himself requested to be taken off shortly after finding the net.
Dollah pointed to defensive lapses late in the game as a factor in allowing Brunei to regain momentum, emphasizing the need for his team to improve their defensive discipline ahead of the second leg.
Brunei’s coach Jamie McAllister attributed the team’s inability to close out the match to fatigue resulting from a congested schedule. He noted that individual errors, including giving away a corner and failing to mark opponents properly, allowed Kuala Lumpur opportunities to score. McAllister also expressed frustration over receiving a yellow card for speaking to the fourth official, describing the caution as unwarranted and suggesting an official complaint might be warranted.
The second leg promises a tense showdown with Kuala Lumpur aiming to capitalize on their late rally and Brunei seeking to convert their early advantage into a place in the semi-finals.