Kuching City reignited their hopes of reaching the AFC Champions League Two knockout stage with a 2-0 win over Gangwon FC in Group H on Thursday.
Two first-half strikes from Safawi Rasid secured the Malaysian side’s first victory to go level on four points with Gangwon.
It was a cagey start to the contest with neither side yielding space but it was Kuching who found the opening first in the 13th minute when James Okwuosa’s deep ball into the box was nodded down by Declan Lambert but Petrus Shitembi saw his volleyed attempt blocked.
The rebound fell kindly for Safawi, who struck a powerful drive from above the box which looped over a backpedalling Kim Yu-sung and into the top left corner.
The Malaysian side doubled their advantage in the 20th minute after Ramadhan Saifullah delivered the perfect cross from the left to an unmarked Safawi to thump home.
Gangwon threatened at the half-hour mark when Kim Gun-hee laid the ball off for Kang Yun-gu, whose left-footed effort from the centre of the box sailed over the bar.
Kuching had another chance six minutes later, James Okwuosa sending a long-range effort just wide after being teed up by Ariff Farhan.
Gangwon threatened first after the break, with Kim Gun Hee’s long-range effort in the 49th minute saved by Kuching goalkeeper Haziq Nadzil.
Kuching nearly extended their lead a minute later when Ramadhan fired narrowly over the bar after being set up by Jerome Mpacko, before Safawi came close with a chance from distance, sending a curling effort wide.
Gangwon tried to find a way back into the match, but Kuching’s defence stood firm to keep the visitors at bay and seal their first win.
RESULTS
Group F: Pathum United (Tha) bt Tai Po (Hkg) 4-1; Lion City Sailors (Sgp) bt Adelaide United 5-0
Group G: Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng (Cam) bt Tampines Rovers (Sgp) 2-0; Machida Selvia (Jpn) bt Shanghai Shenhua (Chn) 2-1
Group H: Kuching City (Mas) bt Gangwon (Kor) 2-0; Kitchee (Hkg) bt Phnom Penh Crown (Cam) 2-1
