Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Football Club is a football club based in Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia. The club represents the National University of Malaysia.
History Early years The club was founded in 2013. They have been competing in Malaysian Institutes of Higher Education Football League and has won several college football competitions. UKM who won the Minister of Higher Education Ministry Cup and runners-up of Division One University Football League in 2014, was automatically eligible to join the 2015 Malaysia FAM League. Their place in Minister of Higher Education Ministry League was taken over by the MMU, 2014 Minister of Higher Education Division Two University Football League champion.
In 2015, the club has been accepted by Football Association of Malaysia to compete in Malaysia FAM League, the third-tier of Malaysian football. The club also collaborated with Sime Darby to provide a youth players for the Sime Darby youth team which competed in Malaysia President's Cup.
2015 season
After successfully bringing UKM to be the champion of the Minister of Higher Education Ministry Cup and the runner-up of the University Football League Division 1, Sulaiman Hussin moved to Sime Darby and joined the President's Cup squad coaching. Asnan Mohamad Zuki, who led University of Malaya to become the Minister of Higher Education Ministry Cup 2013 champion after beating UKM, was appointed as the UKM FC coach. On their first season in Malaysia FAM League, they finished in fourth place behind Perlis, Real Mulia and Megah Murni. Only one team from each league promoted into 2016 Malaysia Premier League, and Perlis became runners-up of Malaysia FAM League that season after lost into Melaka United.
UKM FC vice captain, Hafizuddin Sulaiman became top goalscorers of the club after scoring 8 goals - even he played as the defender.
2016 season
UKM FC appointed Lim Kim Liang, ex Kuala Lumpur head coach and brought back Sulaiman Hussin as assistant head coach. They missed the spot into knock-out stage, as they finished fifth place. On this season, only top 4 of each league qualify into knock-out stage, and two teams into the finals automatically qualify into Malaysia Premier League.
UKM FC also qualified into Malaysia FA Cup for the first time. In the first round, they defeated Hanelang by penalty shout-out after draw 1–1 in UKM Bangi Stadium, their home base. Azri Zulkiflee scored in this match before Mohd Safix from Hanelang equalized. This match also the only UKM FC match at home in FA Cup history. In the second round, they lost into Kelantan at Sultan Mohammad IV Stadium.
2017 season
Sulaiman Hussin promoted into UKM FC head coach, and they managed to finish in the top of the league - only lost twice with FELCRA and MOF by 1–0 at home. In knock-out stage, UKM FC defeated Kuching 2–1 on quarter-final, before qualified into final stage after beating Shahzan Muda 1–0 on semi-final. UKM FC lost 2-3 into Sime Darby, but both of them already qualified into 2018 Malaysia Premier League. But one month after final, Sime Darby decided to withdraw from the Premier League next season and focused into develop youth football, ending their involvement as a professional club. The club now competes in the KLFA First Division state league as an amateur club.
On 2017 Malaysia FA Cup, they received the bye in the first round and defeated by Sabah at Likas Stadium in the second round.
2018 season The club has been promoted to Malaysia Premier League despite losing in the 2017 Malaysia FAM League Finals against Sime Darby. At the beginning of the 2018 season, the club signed four foreign players including one player from Asia. They were Waheed Oseni, Redouane Zerzouri, Atuheire Kipson and Nam Se-in. Due to poor performance, Atuheire Kipson was dropped by the club during mid-season and he was replaced by former MISC-MIFA forward, Michael Chukwubunna.
The change galvanized UKM, as they finished the league season in 8th place, and were runners-up of the inaugural Malaysia Challenge Cup. Michael Chukwubunna also finished as top scorer in the latter competition with 13 goals.
2019 season Despite the team good performance in the league and cup, UKM FC were barred to participate in the 2019 Malaysia Premier League by Malaysia Football League on 28 November 2018, after the club failed to submit their registration paperwork on time, and the paperwork sent to MFL after they are given 7 days grace period are incomplete. However, on 10 December 2018, they are given a second chance by MFL to appeal for reinstatement to Premier League, which they do successfully, although MFL served UKM with a fine and warning for their initial failure.
In this season, UKM recorded the biggest win in their Premier League history, as they demolished Sarawak 4–0 on March 2, 2019. They are also recorded the first ever win on Malaysia FA Cup history, won 5–1 after beating Protap at UKM Bangi Stadium on April 2, 2019.
2020 season and end of involvement in Malaysian League In the truncated 2020 season due to COVID-19 pandemic, UKM FC managed to finish in the 9th position out of 12 teams. But the pandemic hit the football community hard on the finances, including the team. After the university management has pulled the full financial support and the team was re-registered under a new private entity, they failed to give FAM concrete proof they have financial backing for the 2021 season. As a consequence, FAM expelled the team from the Premier League.
Although UKM FC can apply for registration in the M3 League or below, as of 2022, they have not involved in any of the leagues.
Stadium and locations Coordinates Location Stadium Capacity Year Bangi UKM Bangi Stadium 500 2015–2017, 2019 Selayang MP Selayang Stadium 16,000 2018 Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur Stadium 18,000 2019–Present
Sponsors PeriodSportswearShirt sponsor2015 Kika Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia2016 Ultron Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi Malaysia (Soaring Upwards)2017 Warrix Sports Kopi Pak Belalang and Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi Malaysia (Soaring Upwards)2018 Skyhawk Kopi Pak Belalang and Fusionet2019Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia2020 Line 7
Season by season record
SeasonDomestic LeagueDomestic CupOverall Top GoalscorerDivisionPWDLFAPtsPosFA CupMalaysia CupChallenge CupNameGoals2015Malaysia FAM League186752620254thdid not participatedid not qualifyNot yet held Hafizudin Sulaiman82016Malaysia FAM League144461316165thSecond round Hadzirun Che Hamid, Faiz Bandong, Gusti Ishak, Azri Zulkiflee22017Malaysia FAM League148422411281st1 (promoted)Second round Hasrul Nurkholis Hasim102018Malaysia Premier League2064102632227thThird roundRunners-up Michael Ijezie162019 Malaysia Premier League2064102832228thThird roundRunners-up Mateo Roskam162020 Malaysia Premier League113351117129thSecond round2 (cancelled)Did not held2
1 : They finished first in the league and qualified for knockout stage, ended as runners-up as they lost 2–3 on aggregate by Sime Darby. 2 : Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament was cancelled.
2020 squad
Development squads
Under-21s (2020)
No. Name Nationality Position D.O.B Goalkeepers 1 Muhammad Aiman Hakim Mat Tarmizi GK 2000 20 Rishi Kumar a/l Agilan GK 2000 22 Melvin Thiloshen Dass Michal Dass GK 1999 25 Mohammad Ezan Aiman Mohd Ridzuan GK 1999 Defenders 2 Muhammad Ashraf Mohd Zahir RB/RWB 1999 4 Muhammad Syaiful Adha Kamaruzaman CB 2000 5 Muhammad Afif Rafiqin Mohd Yusof CB 2000 12 Ameer Hafiz Mokhtar RB/RWB 2000 15 Muhammad Amierul Aiman Hasani LB/LWB 1999 17 Mohd Danish Affan Mohd Nasir CB 2000 24 Abdul Muiz Saifulzaman LB/LWB 2000 Midfielders 3 Muhammad Zawir Zakwan Hasman RW/RM 2000 6 Muhammad Izham Nor Alizan CM 2000 8 Abdul Qayyum Sarkini RW/RM 2000 9 Faris Akmal Azza Haslija DM/CB 2001 10 Muhammad Zikri Fakhrul Zafran AM/CM 6/6/99 11 Alif Danial Abu Kassim LW /LM 2000 16 Harith Iskandar Hafinizam CM 2000 18 Muhammad Alif Fikri Zainal Abidin CM 2000 21 Ahmad Zaimulzikri Ibrahim LW /LM 7/10/99 Forwards 7 Mohd Arfan Hafizi Mohd Nasaruddin ST 2000 13 Mohd Danish Iskandar Khairudin ST 2000 14 Ahmad Dzikri Radzuan ST 2000 19 Muhammad Afiq Samsuddin ST 2000 23 Ezzat Daniel Zahir ST 2000
Under-19s (2020)
No. Name Nationality Position D.O.B Goalkeepers 1 Mohd Firdaus Amin Zairol Azhar GK 2003 20 Hasbi Hasani Mohd Fauzi GK 2001 22 Amirul Aqasha Shaharudin GK 2002 Defenders 2 Mikael Danish Mohd Adlan RB / RWB 2002 4 Muhammad Hirzi Diniy Mohd Zaki CB 2002 11 Muhammad Adam Iman Nazril CB / LB / RB 2002 12 Fauzan Asnomi LB / LWB 2002 15 Ilhan Hakim Razmat RB / RWB 2002 21 Akmal Hakiem Ibrahim CB / RB 2002 23 Muhammad Aizzat Hakimi Zaini CB 2002 25 Maiyurran a/l Ganesan LB / LWB 2002 Midfielders 3 Muhammad Asyraaf Rifqi Rosli CM 2002 6 Aidil Haikal Azizan RW /RM 2002 8 Muhammad Aliff Aiman Mohd Aznam LW / LM 2002 14 Muhammad Zulkarnain Zainorin CM 2001 17 Muhammad Danial Hakimi Salehudin RW /RM 2002 18 Mohd Aidil Faris Abdul Malek LW /LM 2002 19 Muhammad Nazarul Ikram Mohd Nizam CM 2002 24 Muhammad Arif Najmi Mohd Khalid CM 2002 Forwards 5 Muhammad Aiman Daniel Mazlan ST 2002 7 Afdal Shahryll Nizam ST 2002 9 Muhammad Amir Zakwan Mohd Asrani Ramu ST 2002 10 Sidhata Gautam a/l Selvam ST 2002 13 Fehriz Hakim Tadjul Hakma ST 2002 16 Muhammad Adam Syafiq Ahmad Faizal ST 2001
Management team (2020) Club personnel Position Name Team manager Zach Gillan Assistant manager Suhaimi Suliman Head coach Sulaiman Hussin Assistant coach Kamarudin Anuar Yusrizal Yusoff Rezal Zambery Yahya Goalkeeping coach Abdul Rahman Baba Fitness coach Ashadi Mohd Yusoff Team doctor Muhamad Karbela Reza Ramlan Nik Alif Azriq Nik Abdullah Physiotherapist Mohd Tasnim Abu Mansor Masseur Kamal Hassan Kitman Mohd Raffiq Roslan
Managerial history Years Name Nationality Games Win Draw Lose Win % Honours 2015 Asnan Mohamad Zuki 18 6 7 5 33.33% 2016 Lim Kim Lian 16 4 5 7 25% 2017–2020 Sulaiman Hussin 97 40 24 33 41.23% Runners-up of FAM League (2017)Runners-up of Challenge Cup (2018, 2019)
Honours Domestic competitions League Malaysia FAM League Runners-up (1): 2017
Cup Malaysia Challenge Cup Runners-up (2): 2018, 2019
Affiliated clubs Sime Darby Malaysian University F.T.
References
External links