Kelantan Red Warrior FC head coach Irfan Bakti expressed his satisfaction with his team’s performance after they held Penang FC to a goalless draw in the first leg of the 2025/26 Challenge Cup quarter-final at Stadium Sultan Muhammad IV, Kota Bharu.
He praised his players for rising to the occasion against a Penang side that fielded nine import players on the night.
“I’m satisfied with my players’ performance. I’m only disappointed that we couldn’t score,” Irfan said.
“However, they gave their best, especially considering they were up against nine imported players from the opposing team.”
Looking ahead to the second leg, which will be played away from home, Irfan voiced his confidence that KRWFC can match Penang FC, particularly with the match scheduled in the afternoon.
“I’m confident playing there because the game will be in the afternoon. Anything can happen when you play in the daytime,” he added.
“We’ll go there fresh. Even though it’s the Challenge Cup, I’m confident.”
In last night’s match, Kelantan Red Warrior FC put up a strong fight against the Super League club, especially in the first 45 minutes, but failure to convert two clear-cut chances denied them the opportunity to record a famous win in front of more than 1,400 home supporters.
