KUALA LUMPUR, March 18 — Selangor FC dented the pride of seven-time Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) by holding them to a 1-1 draw at Stadium Sultan Ibrahim in Iskandar Puteri yesterday.
The Red Giants shocked the hosts by taking the lead in the seventh minute when imported striker Ifedayo Olusegun curled the ball into the net off a pass from Swiss player Oliver Buff.
JDT did not take long to respond, as their new Brazilian import Bergson Da Silva converted a short pass from the left by Gonzalo Gabriel Cabrera to equalise in the 11th minute.
JDT could have gone ahead in the 40th minute but Cabrera failed to convert a penalty kick, which was awarded after Mohamad Ashmawi Md Yakin brought down winger Arif Aiman Mohd Hanapi in the penalty box.
In the second half, the Southern Tigers also wasted another scoring opportunity when Da Silva’s spot-kick was pushed out by Khairulazhan.
Despite the draw, JDT remains at the top of the table with 10 points from four matches while Selangor stays in fifth place on five points.
At the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur City FC thrashed Perak FC 3-0, after only managing a draw against neighbours Selangor FC on Saturday.
The visitors dominated the first half but a counter-attack by Kuala Lumpur City FC saw imported Mauritanian striker Dominique Da Sylva scoring with a shot in the 41st minute to put the City Boys ahead.
A mistake by Perak FC defender Muhammad Shakir Mazah a minute into the second half was severely punished by Bojan Hodark’s boys as midfielder Romel Morales from Colombia found the net.
Romel then scored his second goal off a pass from skipper Paulo Josue, to push KL City FC to fourth on the table with seven points while Perak lies in 10th place on four points.
In another match, Kedah Darul Aman FC came from behind to beat PJ City FC 3-1 at Stadium Darul Aman in Alor Setar, Kedah.
The visitors took the lead through a penalty kick by R. Kogileswaran but goals from Baddrol Bakhtiar in the 47th minute, imported striker Kpah Sean Sherman in the 51st minute and Mohamad Fayadh Mohd Zulkifli gave Kedah Darul Aman three valuable points to jump to the fourth spot on seven points.
Over at Stadium Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin in Gong Badak, Terengganu FC failed to capitalise on the home ground advantage when they managed only a 1-1 draw with Melaka United FC.
Imported striker Alex Goncalves put Melaka United FC into the lead in the third minute before Jordan Mintah equalised for the hosts, to put the Turtles in the second spot in the league on 10 points while Melaka United are in the eighth spot with four points.
Meanwhile, Negeri Sembilan FC surged to the top of the Premier League table with 10 points from four matches after beating hosts Perak FC II at Stadium Perak in Ipoh today.
Midfielder R Barathkumar put the visitors ahead in the 20th minute before imported Cameroonian striker Alain Thierry Akono Akono scored in the 60th minute to give Negeri Sembilan FC victory and nudge Sarawak United out of the top spot.
— Bernama
