KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 — League leaders, Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) scored their fifth consecutive victory to continue leading in the league title chase after beating Terengganu FC (TFC) 2-1 in a closely fought Super League match last night.
In the action at Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium in Kuala Nerus, two sensational JDT import strikers, Bergson da Silva and Fernando Forestieri scored apiece each while Muhammad Hakimi Abdullah netted the home team’s only goal through a free kick.
Bergson broke the deadlock with a goal in the 31st minute after he made a quick run to control a long pass well before unleashing a powerful shot in the penalty area which beat goalie Muhammad Rahadiazli Rahalim.
JDT then took a comfortable 2-0 lead as a result of Forestieri’s finish that failed to be saved by Muhammad Rahadiazli in the 47th minute, but the match became more lively when TFC close the gap four minutes later through a beautiful Muhammad Hakimi free kick.
However, the 2-1 position remained in favour of the Southern Tigers until the final whistle, thus enabling them to collect three valuable points to comfortably top the league with 38 points after playing 14 games, leaving Sabah FC in second place (34 points) and Negeri Sembilan third with 29 points.
Meanwhile, in the Premier League action, table leaders Kelantan FC suffered an embarrassing 1-2 loss at home to the second-last team Perak FC at Sultan Muhammad IV Stadium in Kota Bharu.
The home team under coach Rezal Zambery Yahya started brilliantly when they took the lead as early as the second minute through Jasmir Mehat’s goal, but the position did not last long when Wan Zack Haikal Wan Nor scored Perak FC’s equalizer in the 14th minute.
Six minutes later, Kelantan defender Khairul Helmi Johari headed the ball into his own goal and the Red Warriors failed in their pursuit to equalise and thus had to accept their second defeat of the season.
In the meantime, UiTM FC chalked up their fourth win after 14 matches by thrashing FAM-MSN Project Squad 4-1 which saw striker Muhammad Alif Safwan Mohd Sallahuddin emerge as the team’s hero when he scored a hat-trick in action at UiTM Stadium, Shah Alam.
Alif Safwan ensured that the Ismail Ibrahim-led squad took a comfortable 3-0 lead in the first half through a penalty kick in the 10th minute before scoring two more goals in the 21st and 34th minutes respectively.
Nazirul Hasif Mailang made it 4-0 in the 80th minute before the visitors got a consolation goal in second-half injury time by Izzat Zikri Iziruddin. — Bernama
