JOHOR Darul Takzim are through to the Malaysia Cup semi-finals – putting the star-studded Southern Tigers in line for a double in this year’s M-League – when they shut out Terengganu in the return-leg quarter-finals 3-1 on agrregate.
The Super League champions showed their class to outplay Terengganu 3-1 at the Larkin Stadium in Johor Bahru on Thursday to keep their unbeaten home record in the M-League. The first-leg quarter-final against Terengganu at the Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah Stadium ended in a scoreless draw.
Hero for the Southern Tigers was national midfielder was Safiq Rahim who scored a brace while Argentine striker Luciano Figueroa scored the other. Terengganu’s consolation goal was scored by Ashaari Shamsuddin on a night the homesters were in complete control of the match – giving the packed stadium, mostly filled up by the fanatical JDT supporters, plenty to cheer.
Safiq struck on 15 minutes to give JDT the much needed lead. He ran into space to pump in a flying header from a cross by Nazrin Nawi on the left which gave Terenganu goalkeeper Sharbinee Allawee no chance at all. It was the beginning of JDT’s dominance against the Turtles who had come with high hopes of an upset at Larkin.
It was not to be for the visitors as the Southern Tigers kept coming in waves and Figueroa made it 2-0 after 22 minutes when he drilled home grounder past Sharbinee who had a good game overall but could the stop the JDT from scoring goal No 3 which came in the 75th minute.
Again it was Safiq’s night of celebration when he connected a Norshahrul Idlan Talah’s pass after Terengganu had pulled one back for the Turtles through Ashaari.
The first-leg semi-finals against Felda United will be played at the Selayang Stadium will be played on Monday. In the other semi-final Kedah will be at home to Pahang in the first-leg on Sunday.
