In a fiercely contested Malaysia Super League clash at Bandaraya Stadium, Penang FC clinched a crucial 2-1 victory over Negeri Sembilan on Saturday, powered by a clinical brace from striker K. Tchetche. The result breathes new life into Penang’s campaign, handing them only their first win of the season and halting a recent skid against a higher-ranked Negeri Sembilan side.

Penang wasted little time seizing the initiative. In the 13th minute, S. Brundo’s precise pass unlocked the Negeri defense and found Tchetche, who calmly slotted home the opener, igniting the home crowd and settling early nerves. Negeri Sembilan looked rattled in the opening exchanges, struggling to contain Penang’s renewed aggression and movement off the ball.

Negeri Sembilan made a double substitution at halftime, injecting fresh legs into the midfield and attack with A. Selvan and A. Afiq coming on. The changes, however, did little to stem Penang’s momentum. Just four minutes after the restart, Tchetche struck again—this time finishing off a deft assist from A. Raop to double the hosts’ advantage and stamp his authority on the match.

Negeri Sembilan responded with intensity, but their frustration soon boiled over. Z. Azri picked up a yellow card in the 51st minute as tempers flared. A flurry of bookings followed in the second half, with Penang’s A. Irfan and S. Brundo, as well as Negeri’s J. Motika, going into the referee’s notebook in quick succession—signaling a period when challenges flew and both sides battled fiercely for midfield control.

The visitors finally found their breakthrough late, capitalizing on a momentary lapse in the Penang defense to claw back a goal and set up a tense finale. However, Penang’s rearguard, marshaled resolutely in the dying stages, held firm. Negeri’s L. Nsue saw yellow deep into stoppage time as the visitors’ desperation grew, but the score remained unchanged at the final whistle.

The match featured numerous tactical adjustments as both managers searched for an edge. Penang’s late substitutions, including the arrivals of H. Kutty, O. Porteria, and D. Wenzel-Halls, helped see out the result, providing fresh energy to disrupt Negeri Sembilan’s late surge.

Saturday’s victory marks a significant turnaround for Penang, who began the day languishing near the bottom of the table. With K. Tchetche’s sharp finishing and renewed confidence coursing through the squad, Penang will look to build on this momentum as they aim to climb the standings in the weeks ahead.

Match highlights and extended recap, including both Penang goals and key second-half drama, are available on Astro Arena’s official YouTube channel, which boasts well over 1 million subscribers and provides comprehensive, verified coverage of the Malaysia Super League.