Defending champions Pahang Rangers FC stuttered to a 5-3 defeat to Selangor FC in the first-leg semifinals of the Malaysia Futsal Cup 2024 as Johor Darul Ta’zim stormed to a 4-0 victory over KL City FC in the other tie.
Playing away in Kuantan did not deter Selangor one bit as they took the early 2-0 lead off Pereira in the very first minute of play and then Gabriel Rosa in the ninth minute.
But Pahang Rangers fought back to hold the game to a 2-2 draw at the break (Felipe de Souza in the 14th minute and Iqhmal Najmie Ismail, 17th) before Nazreen Saudi fired them in front three minutes into the second half.
However, Selangor kept pushing forward and a double strike from Syahir Iqbal Khan Akbar Khan (27th and 28th minute) put them on the way as Syed Aizad Daniel Syed Nasir finished things off at the half-hour mark for the win.
The second-leg, semifinals between Selangor FC and Pahang Rangers will be played on 28 September 2024 at the Kompleks Sukan Shah Alam (Panasonic).
In the meantime, Malaysia Premier Futsal League (MPFL) champions JDT inched a step closer to a place in the final of the MFC 2024 with a 4-0 whitewash of KL City FC.
The Southerners were 3-0 in front at the half through Awalluddin Mat Nawi (in the 5th minute), Bruno Taffy (11th) and Ridzwan Bakri (14th) as Abu Haniffa Hasan then put the finishing touch in the 32nd minute for the well-deserved victory.
The second-leg, semifinals between JDT and KL City FC will be played on 28 September 2024 at the Bandaraya Stadium in Pasir Gudang.
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