New signing Mohammad Ghaddar is turning in the performance expected of the Lebanese international as Johor Darul Takzim increased their lead at the top of the table with a 3-1 win over Sarawak in Saturday’s Super League match at Johor Bahru’s Larkin Stadium.
The former Kelantan striker hammered a brace for the Southern Tigers as the defending champions increased the tally at the top of the 12-team league to 39 points – 11 points more than second placed Kedah after 16 matches.
Kedah were held to a 1-1 draw by Selangor at the Darulaman Stadium in Alor Setar – leaving the Red Eagles on 28 points while Pahang remained third on 27 points after their 3-1 win over PKNS FC at the Shah Alam Stadium.
The biggest score of the night was registered at the Tun Abdul Razak Stadium in Jengka when Felda United outplayed T-Team of Terengganu 5-1 with Thiago Augusto registering his second hat-trick in a week. He also scored all three goals in Felda’s 3-1 win over Sarawak in Kuching on Tuesday.
Ghaddar opened scoring for JDT with a neatly struck left footer into the far corner off an assist from Gabriel Guerra on the left. He added another on 73 minutes after Sarawak shocked the homesters with the equaliser through Singaporean Sahil Suhaimi in the 63rd minute.
Substitute Safawi Rasid got JDT’s third in the 77th minute but it was not an easy win for the champions as Sarawak gave them some anxious moments with several breaks into the JDT half.
Kedah were forced to come back from a 1-0 deficit to share the spoils after Selangor grabbed 16th minute lead through S. Venod. Danish ace Ken Ilso Larsen got Kedah’s equaliser in the 28th minute.
Kelantan were beaten again at home – this time Perak carved out a 2-0 win over the Red Warriors at the Sultan Mohd IV Stadium in Kota Bahru with goals by former JDT player Nazrin Nawi (28th) and Yashir Pinto (79th).
Melaka United remained in the relegation zone following a 3-2 defeat at the hands of bottom-placed Penang. Despite the win Penang remained anchored at the bottom with nine points.
Goals by Faiz Subri (7th), Mark Hartmann (54th) and S. Kumaahran (61st) against Melaka’s Marco Simic (36th and 89th, both penalties) was enough to give the Panthers their second win in 16 matches.
Pahang checked their four-match winless run since the M-League resumed on July 4 after the Hari Raya break with a brace from Matheus Alves (63rd and 70th) after Mohamadou Sumareh gave the Elephants the lead in the 35th minute. Aliff Haikal scored PKNS goal in the 81st minute. – BY RIZAL ABDULLAH
SUPER LEAGUE RESULTS (July 15, Saturday)
JDT 3 Sarawak 1
Kelantan 0 Perak 2
Melaka 2 Penang 3
Kedah 1 Selangor 1
Felda United 5 T-Team 1
PKNS FC 1 Pahang 3
