KUALA LUMPUR: Sabah were crowned National Women’s League champions despite suffering a 1-0 defeat to Selangor in their final match of the season at the KLFA Stadium in Cheras on Sunday.
Sabah went into the game with an unassailable 37 points, built on 12 wins and a draw from 13 matches, and were chasing perfection, a victory that would have completed an unbeaten 14-game campaign.
Selangor, however, had plenty at stake.
The hosts needed all three points to leapfrog MBSJ FC into second place after their rivals had earlier beaten Red Eagles SC 5-2 to finish on 32 points.
Despite the title already secured, Bobby Gonzalez’s Sabah side started brightly and nearly stunned the home crowd inside three minutes. Azzlyeanieh Kinuli burst through early on, forcing Selangor goalkeeper Daiyana Wardina into a sharp save before another scare followed moments later.
But once Selangor, guided by former national Under-17 coach Osmera Omaro, settled into their rhythm, they made their pressure count.
In the 19th minute, captain and leading scorer Nur Ainsyah Murad struck decisively, netting her 17th goal of the season to give the hosts the lead.
The second half lacked the same intensity, with both sides struggling to find another breakthrough.
Selangor held firm to seal the win, but the night belonged to Sabah, who lifted the league trophy despite the defeat.
The result saw Selangor finish the campaign on 34 points, securing the runners-up spot ahead of MBSJ.
Sabah will now turn their attention to the Asian Women’s Champions League, a competition they last featured in during the 2023-24 season, when they cleared the preliminary round before exiting at the group stage.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
