KUCHING: Kuching City FC recorded a 2-2 draw away from home in the Malaysia Cup 2022 round of 16 first leg tie against Penang FC at the City Stadium, Penang last night.

The first goal of the match came in the 38th minute when Penang FC’s Brazilian striker Lucas Silva shook off his marker, Kuching City’s Alemao, to poach on the good cross swung in from the left by Saravanan Thirumurugan into the back of the net.

Despite going behind in the match, it did not weaken the fighting spirit of Irfan Bakti Abu Salim’s men.

They managed to peg back just six minutes later when Alif Hassan’s free kick took a wicked deflection off the wall (made when defensive players lined up in an attempt to limit the shooting angles of the opponent’s free kick) into the back of the net to make it 1-1 going into half time.

The City Boys later on managed to take the lead in the 72nd minute when Alif Hassan, turning from a scorer into a provider this time, headed the ball down from a cross and put it on a plate for Abu Kamara, the Malaysia Premier League top scorer from Liberia, to tap into the back of the net from the six-yard box.

The lead did not last long however when the hosts managed to equalise four minutes later in the 76th minute with Lucas Silva’s wonderful looping header leaving Kuching City’s goalkeeper Shaiful Wazizi with absolutely no chance to save it.

The two teams will meet again in the second leg next week on October 31 in Sarawak Stadium for a spot in the quarter finals up for grab.