Five-time Super League champions Johor Darul Takzim (JDT) roared to an impressive 4-1 win over Kuala Lumpur in their Super League match at Johor Bahru’s Larkin Stadium on Friday.
The win JDT’s second in as many matches after their 1-0 win over Perak in their opening match at the same venue last week while for the City Boys it was their second successive defeat after losing 3-1 to Pahang at home.
It was a smashing show from the Southern Tigers who were never in doubt of victory at Larkin – The Home of the Southern Tigers – although they needed a penalty in the first half of injury time to turn the tide in their favor.
Argentine Gonzalo Cabrera made no mistake from the spot after Safawi Rasid was felled inside the box by KL defender Hisyamudin Shari.
National striker Syafiq Ahmad made it 2-0 for JDT on 52 minutes and KL custodian Sharbinee Allawee picked up for the third time seven minutes later when new signing Brazilian striker Diogo Luis Santo was on target.
KL pulled one back after 77 minutes through their Dutch striker Sylvano Comvalius drilled home past a sea of legs after JDT defenders failed to clear the ball.
However, JDT was not to be denied another goal and this came in the 89th minute when midfielder Azrif Nasrulhaq beat Sharbinee with a well-placed shot.
Meanwhile, at the Perak Stadium in Ipoh, Perak remained winless with a 1-1 draw against Kedah in a match which was stopped for nearly 30 minutes when referee Hamdan Awang picked up a hamstring injury. He was replaced by fourth official Shahreen Omar.
Brendan Gan gave Perak the lead after 18 minutes with a sublime long-range attempt but it lasted only three minutes. Kedah equalized through their new Brazilian defender Renan Da Silva. RIZAL ABDULLAH
