KUCHING: Bintulu FA were crowned champions of the inaugural Premier Sarawak Cup after defeating Samarahan FA 3–1 in the final at Stadium Negeri Sarawak on Sunday.

The first half saw Samarahan FA dominate possession and orchestrate several dangerous attacking moves. However, despite producing a number of efforts on target, they were unable to breach Bintulu FA’s defensive line.

The match took a dramatic turn just before the interval when Samarahan FA defender Khairul Jemi was shown a red card in stoppage time for a foul on an opposing player, forcing his side to continue the contest with 10 men.

In the second half, Bintulu FA capitalised on their numerical advantage by increasing the tempo of their attacks.

Their breakthrough came in the 53rd minute when midfielder Badrul Hafiz found the back of the net to put his side ahead.

Just four minutes later, Shahmir Izat Sinang compounded Samarahan FA’s woes, calmly finishing from inside the penalty area to extend the lead to 2–0.

Despite being a man down, Samarahan FA refused to surrender and reduced the deficit in the 65th minute through Muhd Zarif Razali, who reacted swiftly to a goalmouth scramble.

However, Mohd Haisal Yusof’s strike in the 74th minute sealed a comprehensive victory for Bintulu FA, confirming their status as champions.

The triumph sees Bintulu FA take home the Premier Sarawak Cup trophy, medals and a cash prize of RM50,000, while runners-up Samarahan FA receive a trophy, medals and RM30,000 in prize money. -UKASnews

Translator: Uilson Ng