Melaka stage fightback to sink Kedah as JDT slog to get past PJ

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 -- Melaka United FC staged a magnificent fightback to beat Super League runners-up Kedah Darul Aman (KDA) FC 3-1 for their second straight Group C win in the Malaysia Cup competition tonight.

The win, away at the Darul Aman Stadium in Alor Setar, also allowed head coach Zainal Abidin Hassan’s men to avenge the 4-1 drubbing by the Red Eagles in the last Super League fixture earlier this month.

The hosts stormed into an early seventh-minute lead when Kpah Sherman cooly slotted home a cross from teammate Tchetche Kipre.

That was the wake-up call Melaka needed and, in the 23rd minute, Adriano Narcizo sent a teasing through ball for Sony Norde to let fly a piledriver past Kedah goalkeeper Mohd Ifwat Akmal Chek Kassim.

Inspired, Melaka began to dictate terms and duly went 2-1 up through midfielder Manuel Ott’s goal in the 39th minute.  

It took Melaka just seven minutes after the break to pull even further away as Ott’s screamer from outside the box had Mohd Ifwat Akmal well beaten again.

The win enabled Melaka to head Group C with six points while Kedah stay second with three points.

Meanwhile, defending champions Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) had to rely on an early goal to edge Petaling Jaya (PJ) City FC 1-0 in a tense Group D match at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri.

Prolific marksman Gonzalo Cabrera was the toast of the Southern Tigers when he let fly a powerful shot from outside the box that gave PJ goalkeeper Kalamullah Al-Hafiz Mat Rowi no chance at all.

In the other Group D match at the Sultan Muhammad IV Stadium in Kota Bharu, Sabah FC were held to a 2-2 draw by Kelantan FC.

 Both Sabah’s goals came from the penalty spot, with skipper Risto Mitrevski stepping up to convert both in the 32nd and 80th minutes while Kelantan got their goals through Natanael Siringo (39th minute) and substitute Muhammad Haziq Mohd Subri (70th minute).

After two matches, JDT head Group D with six points. Sabah are second with two points while PJ and Kelantan are third and fourth respectively with one point each.

-- BERNAMA