KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 22 — Terengganu FC (TFC) denied Sri Pahang FC the chance to extend their Super League unbeaten run to six matches with a narrow 2-1 win at the Darul Makmur Stadium in Kuantan last night.
The Elephants, riding high after recording four wins and one draw in their last five outings, had to wait until the second half to break the deadlock against Terengganu when an unmarked Manuel Hidalgo slotted home in the 47th minute, much to the delight of the home fans.
But the Turtles, coached by Mohd Nafuzi Mohd Zain refused to be beaten and equalised in the 73rd minute when Habib Haroon rose to nod home a corner kick taken by Petrus Shitembi.
Shitembi then emerged as the hero for the TFC when he scored the winning goal in the 87th minute as his shot hit a Sri Pahang defender’s leg before the ball looped high into the net, leaving goalkeeper Mamadou Samassa well beaten.
After 16 matches, TFC are fourth in the standings with 26 points while Sri Pahang, who have played one game more, are fifth with 21 points.
Over at the Petaling Jaya City Council Stadium, national striker Darren Lok’s 59th-minute strike was all that Petaling Jaya (PJ) City FC needed to beat Selangor FC 1-0.
This is Selangor’s fourth straight defeat and they find themselves in ninth spot in the 12-team standings with 16 points from 15 matches. PJ City, who also have 16 points but from 17 matches, sit in 10th spot.
In the Premier League, leaders Kelantan FC failed to take all three points on home ground when they were held to a 2-2 draw by Terengganu FC II (TFC II) at the Sultan Muhammad IV Stadium in Kota Bharu.
Kelantan shot into a 2-0 lead courtesy of Nurshamil Abd Ghani (fifth minute) and Dzulfahmi Abdul Hadi (12th minute) but Wan Fazli Wan Ghazali made sure TFC II earned a share of the spoils when netted a brace in the 33rd and 39th minutes.
The FAM-NSC Project Squad, meanwhile, finally got their first win of the season when they beat Perak FC 3-1.
Although Stipe Plazibat put Perak ahead after just six minutes, goals by Amirul Akmal Safarinizam (42nd minute), Izzat Zikri Iziruddin (56th minute) and Farris Izdiham Awang Kechik (60th minute) ensured the FAM-NSC Project Squad took home all three points.
Over at the UiTM Stadium in Shah Alam, goals by Feroz Baharudin (ninth minute) and Daryl Sham (10th, 67th minutes) gave Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) II a comfortable 3-0 win over PDRM FC. — Bernama
