Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Pahang won a second consecutive Malaysia Cup title on Saturday by beating Johor Darul Ta’zim on penalties after both sides played out a 2-2 draw in the final.
It was Pahang who enjoyed the brighter start at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium and they took the lead after 15 minutes; Dickson Nwakaeme meeting an excellent free-kick by Azidan Sairudin with a glancing header into the bottom corner.
However, Harimau Selatan equalised in the 31st minute after Luciano Figueroa did well to keep Mahali Jasuli’s right-wing cross in play, allowing Jorge Pereyra Diaz to fire home the loose ball after the opposition had failed to clear their lines.
JDT then edged ahead three minutes later when Figueroa kept his cool to beat Khairul Azhan Khalid from the penalty spot, after Razman Roslan had been penalised for handball inside the area.
Things then went from bad to worse for Tok Gajah as they were reduced to ten men in the 68th minute, after Saifulnizam Miswan was sent off for landing a blow at Amri Yahyah’s stomach.
But just three minutes after, Pahang pulled level when Damion Stewart latched onto Matias Conti’s flick-on header and laid the ball into the path of Nwakaeme, who made no mistake in sending a firm volley past Al-Hafiz Hamzah.
With neither side able to find the winner in the remainder of the 90 minutes, as well as in extra-time, the final then went to the dreaded shootout.
And with Pahang leading 4-3, JDT striker Norshahrul Idlan Talaha could only fire away a meek effort that was kept out by Azhan, allowing Hafiz Kamal to step up and drill home the decisive spot-kick to win it for Tok Gajah.
Photo: FAM