Football

Red Giants fall short again as title drought hits nine years

KUALA LUMPUR: Selangor's long wait for silverware continues, with their last major title dating back to their Malaysia Cup victory in 2015.

On Thursday, the Red Giants exited the Asian Champions League 2 (ACL2) despite a convincing 4-0 victory over Cebu in their final Group H match.

The win in Manila provided little consolation, as it wasn't enough to secure a spot in the knockout stages.

This latest setback followed their Malaysia Cup last-16 elimination just days earlier.

Despite reaching the FA Cup final earlier this year, Selangor fell short and now face the prospect of ending yet another season without a trophy.

Relegated to the second-tier Challenge Cup after their Malaysia Cup exit, Selangor remain active in the Super League but can only aim for second place at best.

However, newly appointed coach Kasuhito Kinoshi remains upbeat about the team's overall performance.

"We showed our style of play and mentality, which is vital for Selangor and Malaysian football," said Kinoshi after the Cebu match.

"The players worked hard, and I'm proud of their overall performance. While it's unfortunate we didn't qualify, our focus now shifts to the league and Challenge Cup."

Kinoshi added: "Hearing positive feedback from the fans is satisfying. We'll continue pushing forward."

Selangor, currently third in the Super League, will face Negri Sembilan on Monday and take on Kelantan United in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals on Thursday.

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