Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kota Bharu: Kelantan went joint-top in Group B of the 2012 Malaysia Cup after the AFC Cup quarter-finalists scored twice in the final three minutes to defeat leaders ATM 4-3 on Saturday.
On-loan striker Afiq Azmi, who scored both goals in the Red Warriors' 2-1 win over Kedah, put Kelantan one-up 16 minutes into match at the Sultan Mohammed IV Stadium before Marlon Alex James drew ATM level in the 33rd minute.
Parity lasted just three minutes with Norshahrul Idlan Talaha restoring Kelantan's lead but the home side's advantage was also short-lived with James, who helped Kedah to a place in the last eight of the 2008 AFC Cup as well as domestic treble in the 2007/08 season, making it 2-2 two minutes later.
Veteran striker Hairuddin Omar made it 3-2 to ATM two minutes from the interval and the former Malaysia international's goal looked to have been sufficient to ensure the Malaysia Premier League champions a place in the quarter-finals.
However, Norfarhan Mohammad drew Kelantan level in the 87th minute before Nurul Azwan Roya struck with a minute remaining to put Bojan Hodak's side level on seven points with ATM going into the penultimate round of Group Stage matches on Tuesday.
Kelantan take on Iraq outfit Arbil in the quarter-finals of the 2012 AFC Cup with last year's semi-finalists hosting the first-leg on September 18 before the action shifts to Malaysia for the return fixture a week later.