Kota Ranger FC

Last updated
Kota Ranger
Kota Ranger FC logo.png
Full nameKota Ranger Football Club [1]
Short nameKRFC
Founded1978;47 years ago (1978)
Stadium Berakas Sports Complex
Capacity500
OwnerAbdul Razak Ibrahim
Head coach Zulkefly Duraman
League Brunei Super League
2023 BSL, 3rd of 16

Kota Ranger Football Club (Malay : Kelab Bola Sepak Kota Ranger; abbrev: KRFC), formerly Perkota, [2] is a Bruneian football club, playing in the Brunei Super League. It was formed in 1978 and was successful in the late eighties and early nineties, winning the national championships twice. [3] Kota Ranger directly translates to City Ranger in English.

Contents

Having won two national championship playoffs, a competition that pitted the four district champions against one another; in 1987 and 1993, Kota Ranger is regarded as one of the most successful clubs from that era. [2] Kota Ranger FC, a dominant force in Brunei football in the 1980s and 1990s, and AM Gunners FC are two club names that may hint at some British influence on the local game. [4]

History

Early days

In the 1970s, Perkota was created by Alidon Laidin and his siblings of Kota Batu on the outskirts of Bandar Seri Begawan, overlooking the Brunei Bay. [5] Before focusing on football and changing their name to Kota Ranger FC in 1978, the main sports were perahu racing, badminton, and sepak takraw. This was a result of their accepting players from outside the Kota Batu region as well. [2] They participated in the national championships run by the Brunei Football Association and claimed silverware first in 1987, [3] then secondly in a league championship in 1992. [6]

Regionally, they participated in the 1987 Asian Club Championship and the 1992 Borneo Inter-Club Cup, winning the latter outright. [7] A penalty scored by Momin Ahmad on the 22nd minute of the match between Kota Ranger and Persiba Balikpapan, brought the club to victory. [2] They failed to qualify for the 1992–93 edition of the Asian Club Championship, despite having beaten PKNK F.C. from Malaysia in the first round. [8] A few national players, including Liew Chuan Fue and Rosanan Samak of the 1999 Malaysia Cup team, were from Kota Ranger. [2]

Decline

Kota Ranger was one of the founding clubs of the B-League in 2002. [9] They were relegated after being in the last place with only one win during the 2004 Premier League, [10] and spent time in the second tier of Brunei football until 2015, when they became league champions and promoted to the Brunei Super League. [11] Norsillmy Taha scored the winning penalty which resulted in a 1–0 victory over Tabuan Muda. [12]

Clashes between Kota Ranger and DPMM FC players during the 2022 FA Cup. DPMM-Kota Ranger 27 November 2022 24.jpg
Clashes between Kota Ranger and DPMM FC players during the 2022 FA Cup.

Revival

Currently their best record in the competition is in the 2017–18 season when they finished runners-up to MS ABDB. [13] In 2019, Kota Ranger claimed their first ever FA Cup triumph, beating MS PDB 2–1, the winner coming in the 89th minute via Nur Asyraffahmi Norsamri after Amir Bujang for the policemen cancelled out an earlier Amalul Said goal. [14] During the 2020 Super Cup, the club went as far as winning the final match 3–1 against MS ABDB at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium. Adi Said's debut followed by him scoring a hat-trick; on the 3rd, 44th and 90th minutes of the match. [15]

The club was leading 1st place in the 2020 Super League when it was unexpectedly postponed and eventually cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in the country, ending the tournament with only two matches completed. [16] [17] That following year, the restrictions were lifted and the club would participate in the 2022 FA Cup, [18] Kota Ranger made it into the semi finals of the 2022 FA Cup after winning against KB FC in the quarter-finals. However, they would be defeated by DPMM FC with an aggregated score of 3–0. [19]

Current squad

As of 12 January 2025

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos.NationPlayer
1 GK Flag of Brunei.svg  BRU Hendra Putera Idris
2 DF Flag of Brunei.svg  BRU Hanif Omar Ali
3 DF Flag of Brunei.svg  BRU Safwan Amaluddin Sabli
4 DF Flag of Brunei.svg  BRU Abdul Aziz Tamit
5 DF Flag of Brunei.svg  BRU Ahmad Hasbullah Alfiandiy
6 MF Flag of Brunei.svg  BRU Amirul Zafrey Norshaney
7 FW Flag of Brunei.svg  BRU Aminuddin Masri
8 MF Flag of Brunei.svg  BRU Habibullah Adanan
9 MF Flag of Brunei.svg  BRU Hazmi Salleh
10 MF Flag of Brunei.svg  BRU Asnawi Syazni Abdul Aziz
11 FW Flag of Brunei.svg  BRU Noorsherzaman Hasan Ahmad
12 FW Flag of Brunei.svg  BRU Qusyairi Arabimulfhasal
13 FW Flag of Brunei.svg  BRU Nasy'rul Wafiy Hassan(on loan from Almerez FC)
14 MF Flag of Brunei.svg  BRU Hafis Mahari
No.Pos.NationPlayer
15 FW Flag of Brunei.svg  BRU Syazwan Sahrin
16 MF Flag of Brunei.svg  BRU Azim Izamuddin Suhaimi
17 DF Flag of Brunei.svg  BRU Syaherrul Affendy Syahmirul Nizam
18 FW Flag of Brunei.svg  BRU Nur Hidayat Abbas
19 MF Flag of Brunei.svg  BRU Izzat Arif Shahrul Zaman
20 MF Flag of Brunei.svg  BRU Fawzan Abu Kassim
21 MF Flag of Brunei.svg  BRU Abdul Afiq Roslan
22 DF Flag of Brunei.svg  BRU Sholihuddin Jamaludin
23 MF Flag of Brunei.svg  BRU Badrul Anak Bujang(Captain)
24 DF Flag of Brunei.svg  BRU Shah Azahar Abdullah Ahar
25 GK Flag of Brunei.svg  BRU Hasdattul Anirull Rizam
28 MF Flag of Japan.svg  JPN Shun Kamino
30 GK Flag of Brunei.svg  BRU Ridzuan Muqayyad Mohammad

Club officials

PositionStaff
Owner Flag of Brunei.svg Abdul Razak Ibrahim [20]
Team manager Flag of Brunei.svg Mesli Dullah
Head coach Flag of Brunei.svg Zulkefly Duraman
Goalkeeping coach Flag of Brunei.svg Ibrahim Abu Bakar

Continental record

SeasonCompetitionRoundClubHomeAwayAggregate
1987 Asian Club Championship Group Stage Flag of Indonesia.svg Krama Yudha Tiga Berlian 5–14th
Flag of Malaysia.svg Federal Territory 1–8
Flag of Singapore.svg Tiong Bahru CSC 3–2
1992–93 First Round Flag of Malaysia.svg PKNK 1–15–16–2
Second Round Flag of Indonesia.svg Arseto Solo 1–11–22–3
1994–95 Preliminary Round Flag of Municipal Council of Macau.svg Negro Rubro advanced
Flag of the Philippines.svg Davao City
First Round Flag of Hong Kong 1959.svg Eastern AA 1–61–62–12

Honours

References

  1. ↑ "Kota Ranger FC – Brunei Darussalam – Kelab Bola Sepak Kota Ranger – Club Profile, Club History, Club Badge, Results, Fixtures, Historical Logos, Statistics". www.weltfussballarchiv.com. Archived from the original on 3 February 2018. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Kota Ranger FC". Archived from the original on 2022-12-10. Retrieved 2022-12-10.
  3. 1 2 3 "Brunei - List of Champions". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 23 June 2021. Archived from the original on 6 February 2012. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  4. ↑ Laycock, Stuart; Laycock, Philip (2022-10-13). How Britain Brought Football to the World. History Press. ISBN   978-1-80399-221-1. Archived from the original on 2023-05-11. Retrieved 2023-01-29.
  5. ↑ "Club Profiles: Kota Ranger FC". Football Association of Brunei Darussalam. 19 February 2021. Archived from the original on 23 July 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  6. 1 2 "Kota Ranger raih $4 ribu". Pelita Brunei. 19 February 1992. Archived from the original on 23 July 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  7. 1 2 "Kejohanan Bolasepak Antara Kelab-kelab Borneo: Kota Ranger Juara" (PDF). Pelita Brunei. 11 March 1992. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 July 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  8. ↑ "The lost tale of PKNK FC". Sportimes. Archived from the original on 24 April 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  9. ↑ "TINGKATKAN MUTU BOLA SEPAK NEGARA". Pelita Brunei. 10 July 2002. Archived from the original on 18 September 2002. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  10. ↑ "Sengkurong FC & Kota Ranger relegated". Borneo Bulletin. 16 October 2004. Archived from the original on 2 December 2006. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  11. 1 2 "Kota Ranger bag DST Premier League title". Archived from the original on 2017-02-22. Retrieved 2017-02-21.
  12. ↑ "Kota Ranger FC crowned DST Premier League champions | The Brunei Times". 2015-09-23. Archived from the original on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2022-12-10.
  13. ↑ "MS ABDB win third straight DST Super League". National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam. Archived from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  14. ↑ "KOTA RANGER CROWNED DST FA CUP CHAMPIONS". BruSports News. 23 April 2019. Archived from the original on 23 July 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  15. 1 2 "Kota Ranger FC Juara Piala Sumbangsih 2020 | Brunei's No.1 News Website". www.brudirect.com. Archived from the original on 2022-12-10. Retrieved 2022-12-10.
  16. ↑ "NFABD calls of Brunei Super League due to COVID-19 » Borneo Bulletin Online". NFABD calls of Brunei Super League due to COVID-19. 2020-03-14. Archived from the original on 2022-12-10. Retrieved 2022-12-10.
  17. ↑ "Brunei Super League 2021 called off » Borneo Bulletin Online". Brunei Super League 2021 called off. 2021-11-30. Archived from the original on 2022-12-10. Retrieved 2022-12-10.
  18. ↑ "FA Cup to kick off on August 6". Borneo Bulletin. 8 June 2022. Archived from the original on 24 June 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  19. ↑ "DPMM FC beat Kota Ranger FC » Borneo Bulletin Online". DPMM FC beat Kota Ranger FC. 2022-11-28. Archived from the original on 2022-12-10. Retrieved 2022-12-10.
  20. ↑ "Kota Ranger FC ready for new season's challenges » Borneo Bulletin Online". Kota Ranger FC ready for new season’s challenges. 2020-02-28. Archived from the original on 2022-12-10. Retrieved 2022-12-10.
  21. ↑ "Kota Ranger capture maiden DST FA Cup title » Borneo Bulletin Online". Kota Ranger capture maiden DST FA Cup title. 2019-04-23. Archived from the original on 2019-04-27. Retrieved 2022-12-10.
  22. ↑ "Brunei 2003". RSSSF . Archived from the original on 2022-09-05. Retrieved 2022-12-28.
  23. ↑ "Brunei 1988/89". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 14 April 2022. Archived from the original on 23 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  24. 1 2 "Kota Rangers Win Piza Cup Charity Shield". Borneo Bulletin. 21 February 2006. Archived from the original on 2 December 2006. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  25. ↑ "Kota Ranger 'Joint Cup' champions". Borneo Bulletin. 11 December 2019. Archived from the original on 27 July 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
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