Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuantan: Azammudin Akil netted a hat-trick before Dickson Nwakaeme struck the winner just four minutes after coming on as substitute as AFC Cup quarter-finalists Pahang made an entertaining start to the defence of their Malaysia Cup title with a 4-3 win over PDRM on Saturday.
Azammudin opened the scoring just three minutes into the Group D opener at the Darul Mukmar Stadium and got his and Pahang’s second in the 35th minute after former Mali international striker Dramane Traore had pulled PDRM level in the 12th minute.
Azammudin gave the cup holders a two-goal cushion when he completed his hat-trick in the 66th minute but two goals in a five minute spell levelled the tie, with Maldives’ star striker Ali Ashfaq reducing the deficit in the 71st minute before Portuguese midfielder Jaimie Braganca - who took part in the 2013 AFC Cup while at Bahraini side Riffa - equalised with a 76th minute free-kick.
However Nwakaeme, scorer of the winning goal as Pahang defeated Felda United to win the 2014 Malaysia Cup and qualify for this year’s AFC Cup, netted the winning goal in the 81st minute having only entered the fray four minutes earlier to replace R. Gopinathan as Pahang coach Zainal Abidin Hassan looked to beef up his attack with the introduction of the former Kelantan forward.
Pahang will need Nwakaeme, Azammudin, and the rest of the attack to be on top of their game as they look to overcome a 4-0 first-leg deficit as they welcome Tajikistan’s FC Istiklol to the Darul Mukmar Stadium for Wednesday’s AFC Cup 2015 quarter-final second-leg.
Photo: asiana.my