KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 — When it came down to it, Hafizul Hakim Khairul Nizam Jothy’s two saves in the penalty shoot-out gave Perak their eighth Malaysia Cup win, and first since 2000.

However, the Ipoh-born former student of St. Michaels Institution refuses to take credit for the win.

Perak were two goals down by half-time due to two defensive lapses that left Hafizul, 25, open at the back.

Beaten by a sublime finish from Terengganu’s Faiz Nasir in extra-time, Perak managed to claw a goal back, with the match ending 3-3 at the end of extra-time.

In the ensuing shoot-out, Hafizul saved the first and second spot kicks from Igor Zonjic and Chantahacheary Bin, and the rest, as they say, is history.

“No. The one’s who played 120 minutes are the heroes. I made mistakes and conceded goals and they got us back in the game so they’re the true heroes,” Hafizul says when asked whether he felt like a hero following last night’s win.

“You never expect these things to happen heading into a final but when it did we all said it’s happened and we have to claw our way back. Big thanks to the boys for digging in and backing me up,” he said.

Hafizul said that for him, the shoot-out time was for him to redeem himself after making mistakes earlier on in the game.

“I do feel like I’ve grown a lot just by playing on that stage. It’s my first finals and first major trophy with the team and it’s an experience unlike any other. As for the national spot, Farizal Marlias and Khairul Fahmi Che Mat are still the No 1 in my book. I’ll continue to learn and improve myself and be ready when needed.”

On how it feels to be called a Malaysia Cup champion, Hafizul said, “It feels great but I’d like to dedicate this win to our families and fans. They gave us the encouragement and drive to keep fighting when all seemed lost. I couldn’t have asked for better people.”