KUALA LUMPUR, July 19 — Selangor head coach P. Maniam praised his squad who scored a dramatic 3-2 win over Super League reigning champion Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) in a Group D Malaysia Cup match at the Selayang Stadium, last night.

He said credit should be given to the reserve players who showcased true determination to help the team secure a victory against the opponent who were made up of mostly national senior squad players.

"I must give credit to the reserve players especially Mohd Fairuz Abdul Aziz who scored the opening goal and although they did not play regularly, they still gave their best. Not to forget the supporters who played an instrumental role in helping us to achieve this memorable victory,” Maniam told reporters after the match.

JDT head coach Ulisses Morais said the defeat serves as a lesson for the players to avoid the same mistakes in their upcoming matches.

However, he praised his players who showcased a ‘never say die’ attitude by scoring two goals midway in the second half although it failed to stop Selangor from taking full points.

In the match, Selangor took a healthy 2-0 lead through Mohd Fairuz Abdul Aziz in the 33rd minute and Mohd Amri Yahya two minutes later, only to see JDT make a comeback by firing two quick goals via Ahmad Hazwan Bakri and substitute Darren Lok in the 56th and 70th minutes, respectively.

Mohd Amri turned hero for Selangor when he converted a penalty kick in the dying minutes of the match to seal the victory for the home side. — Bernama