# Pahang ride on Cruz’s hattrick to smash JDT 3-0 in FA Cup quarter-finals
# Perak SEDC knock Felda United out on away goals
# Bad night for JDT and Felda goalkeepers named Farizal
The Pahang jinx struck Johor Darul Takzim again in the FA Cup competition as the East Coast state advanced to the semi-finals 3-0 on aggregate after an emphatic 3-0 win in the return-leg quarter-finals at the Larkin Stadium in Johor Bahru on Friday.
The Elephants had knocked out the Southern Tigers at same stage of the competition last year 4-3 on aggregate.
With the win Pahang will face Perak SEDC (PKNP) in the semi-finals. The Perak outfit also pulled off a shock with a 2-1 win over Felda United in the return-leg quarter-finals at the Tun Abdul Razak Stadium in Jengka which tied the score 2-2 on aggregate. Perak SEDC, however, advanced on the away goals rule. Felda United won the first-leg at the Batu Kawan Stadium in Penang 1-0.
At the Larkin Stadium the show belonged to Brazilian striker Patrick dos Santos Cruz who scored a hattrick which began as early as the ninth minute when he beat the offside trap to drill home a grounder past Farizal Marlias.
On a soggy pitch Pahang adapted to the conditions well and Cruz increased his team’s tally to 2-0 with an easy task to hit the back of the net from an assist by M. Kogileswara in the 58th minute.
The Brazilian made it a night remember when he completed a hattrick and this came on 77 minutes when he foxed Singapore international Harris Harun before blasting an unstoppable shot Farizal.
Friday’s defeat was the first at home for the Southern Tigers – the four-time Malaysian Super League champions and 2016 FA Cup champions since November 2015.
In Jengka it was also a miserable night for Felda United goalkeeper Farizal Harun – beaten by Perak SEDC skipper Shahrel Fikri’s headers in the 15th and 43rd minutes – which sent Felda out of the FA Cup on away goals.
Felda’s goal came in the 26th minute and it was beauty from Wan Zack Haikal from a 30-metres freekick that sailed into the right corner of the Perak SEDC net.BY RIZAL ABDULLAH
RESULTS April 20, Friday)
FA CUP (QUARTER-FINALS, 2nd Leg)
JDT 0 PAHANG 3
(Pahang advance 3-0 on aggregate)
FELDA UNITED 1 PERAK SEDC 2
(2-2 on aggregate. Perak SEDC advance on away goals)
