Football: Red Giants on fire

BY ERIC SAMUEL and RONNIE OH

PETALING JAYA: Selangor kept their Malaysia Cup quarter-final hopes alive with a convincing 5-2 win over Malacca in a Group A match at the Shah Alam Stadium last night.

National Under-23 midfielder Mohd Amirulhadi Zainal put Selangor in front in the sixth minute before Mohd Saiful Nizam equalised for Malacca in the 42nd minute.

Frank Seator then struck twice in two minutes – 44th and 46th – to put Selangor 3-1 up.
Out of my way: Police’s Nizaruddin Yusof (left) and Sabah’s Mohd Munir Amran fighting for the ball during their match at the Selayang Municipal Council Stadium last night. Police won the Group B match 4-3. — KAMARUL ARIFFIN/ The Star
Out of my way: Police’s Nizaruddin Yusof (left) and Sabah’s Mohd Munir Amran fighting for the ball during their match at the Selayang Municipal Council Stadium last night. Police won the Group B match 4-3. — KAMARUL ARIFFIN/ The Star

Although Saiful reduced the deficit for Malacca in the 47th minute, a brace from Mohd Safee Sali in the 77th and 88th minutes sealed a comfortable win for the Red Giants.

The win is a huge relief for Selangor, who had suffered back-to-back defeats after their FA Cup final loss to Kedah (2-3) last month. The result saw Dollah Salleh’s boys suffering a slump in form, going down to Negri Sembilan (0-3) and Kelantan (2-5).

In another Group A match in Kuching, Sarawak snatched a surprise 2-1 over Terengganu at the Sarawak Stadium.

Arshad Ayub scored the winner for the home team in stoppage time from the penalty spot. Piousdinho James had earlier put the Crocs ahead in the 69th minute before Marzuki Yusof equalised for Terengganu in the 86th minute.

Defending champions Kedah failed to register a win for the third straight game in Group B when they could only draw 1-1 with Johor FC at the Jcorp Stadium in Pasir Gudang.

Since winning the FA Cup crown last month, Super League titlists Kedah have fallen to a surprise 0-1 home defeat to Kuala Lumpur and drawn 3-3 with Sabah.

In another Group B match, table-toppers Police edged Sabah 4-3 at the Selayang Municipal Council Stadium. The cops are on a roll, having garnered 11 points from three wins and two draws.

In the third Group B match at the City Stadium, Penang and Premier League side Kuala Lumpur drew 1-1 to share the points.

The first-half failed to produce any goals although Penang dominated the game.

Kuala Lumpur took the lead against the run of play when Mohd Hafzairi Azmi finished off a Fahrul Kamaruddin cross with a firm grounder in the 68th minute.

The goal stunned the Panthers into action. But it wasn’t until the 81st minute that they managed to draw level when American Scott Lawson nodded home an Amir Shahreen cross for a face-saving draw.

In Group C, Pahang were forced to eke out a 2-1 win over Armed Forces at the Darulmakmur Stadium in Kuantan.

Keita Boubacar scored in the ninth minute before Norfazli Alias doubled the tally four minutes later. Mohd Nazri Akui reduced the deficit for the soldiers in the 84th minute.