KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 — Kedah kept their hopes of competing in next year’s AFC Cup alive after edging Melaka United 1-0 in a Super League match at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Cheras today.

Kedah can thank Muhammad Shakir Hamzah for scoring the vital 19th-minute goal when he nodded home a corner kick taken by Ivory Coast import Kipre Tchetche.

The win allowed Kedah to leap into second spot in the 12-team standings with 19 points, just one ahead of third-placed Perak (18 points) and three in front of Terengganu (16) with one match left to go.

Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) had earlier clinched their seventh straight Super League title on Friday to confirm their ticket to next year’s AF Champions League competition.

This leaves Kedah and Perak to slog it out for the sole AFC Cup spot when they clash in their final league fixture at the Perak Stadium on Saturday. — Bernama