It was two wins, one draw and one loss for FC Kuala Lumpur in the opening round of the KL Junior League as strikers netted an outstanding 12 goals in four games.
Royal Opposition
Opening the action were the FCKL Under-8 and Under-10 teams who both faced league newcomers the Royal Selangor Club. And it was the perfect start for Coach Chris’ Under-8s, with Tiago and Aden bagging goals in the opening third. RSC brought the game back to 2–2 at the end of the second third but the U8s showed excellent spirit across the pitch, helping Tiago to an early season hattrick and taking the win 4–2.
The Under-10 game was a tighter affair for Coach Abdullah and the team. Royal Selangor Club got an early goal in the first third before a strike from Hamza brought things level going into the first break. The game remained 1–1 through the second third before RSC edged ahead again in the final sector. It was an uphill task for the young team but an excellent equaliser from Jack Hamzah meant the sides would eventually share the points with a 2–2 final scoreline.
12s Bag Six
Next up, and with the pitches rearranged to accommodate the older boys, the U11 and U12 teams kicked off their campaigns in the Under-12 KL Junior League. Coach Shazwan’s U12 team was set to take on Sri KDU while Coach Filipe’s U11s were to face 2015 league champions JB Warriors.
The Under-12s got off to a good start against Sri KDU, pushing the pace and applying early pressure to their opponents. It took until the 16th minute for the deadlock to be broken though, as Youssef cooly slotted home his first goal of the competitive season. Despite dominating possession, the team couldn’t build on their advantage before the end of the first half, leaving the boys just one goal up going into the second 25 minutes.
It wasn’t long into the second spell before all the pressure paid off, however, as Youssef grabbed a second and Miller added another shortly after. With the scoreline comfortable, FCKL settled into a rhythm, building play up well from the back and picking up three more goals before the final whistle. A consolation for Sri KDU brought the final score to 6–1 to FC Kuala Lumpur.
Champion Test
It was a tough draw for FCKL’s Under-11s in their first foray into the Under-12 KL Junior League. Facing last year’s winners in JB Warriors, points picked up here would have been incredibly well earned. Things looked good for Coach Filipe’s young team as well with an even opening 10 minutes showing that the U11s were more than up to the task. The boys were playing the ball well, equalling JB Warriors’ possession and looking dangerous down the wings.
Mid way through the half though, a long range free kick found the top corner of the net for JB Warriors and FCKL went into the break 1–0 down. Coach Filipe was positive in his half time team talk, however, confident that something could still be taken from the match. But it wasn’t to be; a frustrating second spell saw FC Kuala Lumpur with much of the possession but few real chances on goal, leaving the final score a tough 1–0 defeat.
Onwards and Upwards
Despite disappointment for Coach Filipe and the Under-11s, it was undeniably a successful weekend for FC Kuala Lumpur, who now sit top of the Under-12 league table. There are many positives to build on for the Under-10s and 11s, and of course, much to celebrate for the high scoring 8s and 12s.
Next week, it’s the turn of FCKL’s Under-14 and 16 teams as they face the Royal Selangor Club and Football Talent Asia respectively.