Malaysia FA Cup: Sosa double gives Selangor 2-1 first-leg edge over Kuching City
Eduardo Sosa scored twice as Selangor came from behind to beat Kuching City 2-1 in Petaling Jaya. The return leg is in Kuching on 8 November.
Selangor will go to Kuching with a one-goal lead in their Malaysia FA Cup semi-final. On Friday night Eduardo Sosa scored twice as Kim Pan Gon's side came from behind to beat Kuching City 2-1 at the MBPJ Stadium in Petaling Jaya. Both semi-finals will be decided on 8 November, and a repeat of the 2024 final between Selangor and Johor Darul Ta'zim is now possible.
Kuching strike first, Sosa replies
Kuching City, coached by Aidil Sharin Sahak, started well. Ramadhan Saifullah Usman scored in the ninth minute to give the visitors the lead. Selangor equalised ten minutes later, when Sosa scored in the 19th minute.
The winner also came from Sosa. In the 58th minute he scored his second of the night to put Selangor 2-1 ahead. Kuching City could not find another goal, and the first leg finished with Selangor holding a narrow advantage.
A familiar rivalry
These two teams have played each other in important cup ties recently. In April, Kuching City beat Selangor 1-0 at home in the second leg of the Malaysia Cup semi-final, which gave them a 2-1 aggregate win and a place in the final. Selangor have now won the first leg of this new meeting, but one goal is a small lead to defend away from home.
Kuching City have had a busy and uneven month. They beat Kelantan City 4-1 in the second leg of the quarter-final on 10 October, then lost 3-2 to DPMM in the Super League on 18 October. They now play abroad in the AFC Champions League Two, with an away game against South Korea's Gangwon FC in their group this week. They have one point from their first two group matches.
JDT in control of the other semi-final
In the other semi-final, holders Johor Darul Ta'zim also won on Friday, beating DPMM 2-0 away in Bandar Seri Begawan. Bergson da Silva and Eddy Israfilov scored. The second leg is at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri, also on 8 November.
JDT have won the FA Cup in 2016, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, and they are aiming for a sixth title overall. The 2024 final between JDT and Selangor ended 6-1 to the Southern Tigers at Bukit Jalil, so a rematch would carry plenty of history.
What to watch in the return legs
Kuching City need to win by one goal at home to force extra time, or by two to go through in normal time. Selangor's away form and Sosa's finishing will be important for them. For JDT, a two-goal lead at home in Iskandar Puteri puts them in a strong position.
Key takeaways
- Selangor 2-1 Kuching City in the FA Cup semi-final first leg at the MBPJ Stadium.
- Ramadhan Saifullah Usman gave Kuching the lead in the ninth minute, and Eduardo Sosa scored twice in reply.
- JDT beat DPMM 2-0 away in the other first leg.
- Both second legs are on 8 November.
- A repeat of the 2024 JDT v Selangor final is possible.
FAQ
What was the score in Selangor v Kuching City? Selangor won the first leg 2-1. Eduardo Sosa scored both of their goals after Ramadhan Saifullah Usman had put Kuching City ahead.
When is the second leg? Both semi-final second legs are on 8 November. Selangor play away in Kuching, and JDT host DPMM in Iskandar Puteri.
Who won the 2024 FA Cup final? Johor Darul Ta'zim beat Selangor 6-1 in the 2024 final at Bukit Jalil National Stadium.
Sources: Bernama, Buletin TV3, Borneo Post, Utusan Borneo