KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 — Terengganu are paying the price for relying heavily on one striker for goals as they couldn’t put the game past Perak, eventually losing 4-1 in a penalty shoot-out.

The Turtles led 2-0 in the first half then 3-2 in extra-time only to gift Perak an own goal with seconds left. Head coach Irfan Bakti told reporters after the match it was evident his team couldn’t score without their Ivorian import, who was substituted in the 78th minute for Ashari Samsudin, and was disappointed they didn’t bury the game earlier.

“I can’t believe the result,” Irfan quipped.

“We led then lost then led again only to let them equalise again. When I saw Tchethce on the ground I initially thought he was fooling around. But when he came off I realised it was serious and now everyone can see we rely heavily on him for the goals.

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“I felt we should’ve killed the game in the first half but Parthiban Janasekaran and Abdul Malik Mat Ariff had the chances to do so but they couldn’t score. More so for Malik as he was one-on-one with the keeper.”

Terengganu FC are the competition’s top scorers, with 30 goals in 11 matches.

They have the most individual goalscorers in the competition so far, 11 and have scored 18 of their 30 goals so far in the second half of matches, more than any other team in that period. 

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Tchecthe is the top scorer and he and Terengganu custodian Suffian Abdul Rahman Kungi Raman has played every minute of the Malaysia Cup. 

Irfan also took issue with the man-of-the-match award that went to Perak’s Brendan Gan Seng Ling.

“Faiz Nasir should have been the man-of-the-match not Brendan Gan,” said Irfan of the industrious midfielder who scored a beautiful curled shot from 20 metres out into the top right hand corner of the goal to give Terengganu a 3-2 lead in extra time.

“I don’t know who voted but he should’ve won it. 

“Despite all that for many of my players this was their first time playing in a finals and in front of such a huge crowd.

“When Lee Tuck got his marching orders in the 66th minute it also gave us problems as Lee is also a good finisher and a vital cog in the team.”

Terengganu finished third in the Malaysian Super League under Irfan and he said he will stay on for another season.