Kelantan displayed resilience as they secured a goalless draw against Kuching City in the first leg of the FA Cup round of 16 on Tuesday at the Sultan Mohd IV Stadium in Kota Baru. This result came just days after the Red Warriors suffered a heavy 5-0 defeat to the same side in a Super League match on Saturday.

Kelantan head coach Irfan Bakti praised his squad’s determination despite numerous challenges. “Credit has to be given to my players,” Irfan said during the post-match conference. He noted that Kuching City is one of the country’s top teams, featuring nine or ten imported players, while Kelantan was limited to just 14 available players, many of whom do not regularly compete in the Super League. “They gave it their all,” he added.

The best chance for Kelantan came in the 18th minute when Emmanuel Mbarga made a strong forward run and delivered a precise pass to Faiz Nasir, who was left one-on-one with Kuching goalkeeper Shahril Saari. However, Faiz—nicknamed “Messi” by Irfan—missed the target with a left-footed shot, an opportunity the coach described as their key moment in the match. “We can’t afford to miss chances like that,” Irfan said.

Looking ahead, Irfan expressed optimism that the scoreless draw could provide momentum for the second leg scheduled for next Tuesday.

In a separate FA Cup match on Tuesday, defending champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) began their campaign with a 4-1 victory over UM-Damansara United at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium. The Southern Tigers, facing a semi-professional A1 side, dominated the encounter. Naturalised winger Manuel Hidalgo was a standout performer, contributing two goals and one assist in the win.

The FA Cup fixtures will continue to unfold over the coming weeks as teams contend for a place in the quarterfinals.