Negri Sembilan and Kelantan will play their football trade in the lower-tier Premier League next since after defeats by Kuala Lumpur and Terengganu respectively.
The two condemned teams ended with 15 points each after 21 matches but Negri is 11th in the 12-team Malaysian Super League on a better goal difference.
Terengganu’s 2-0 win over Kelantan at the Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah Stadium in Kuala Terengganu on Monday gave the Turtles a fighting chance of a top-three finish in the league which has already been won for a record fifth year running with 56 points from 21 matches.
Perak is in second place with 36 points with Pahang third and Terengganu fourth with 34 points each from the same number of matches – with goal difference separating the two.
Terengganu skipper Kipre Tchetche opened the scoring for the Turtles in the 44th minute before Kamal Azizi Zabri added the second on 53 minutes off an assist by J. Partiban.
Ivory Coast hitman Tchetche missed a penalty for his team when he ballooned the spot kick much to the dismay of the home fans and head coach Irfan Bakti.
Earlier on Saturday Kuala Lumpur raved out a 2-1 win over Negri at the KLFA Stadium in Cheras.
Meanwhile, Selangor striker Rufino Segovia from Spain leads the top scorers’ chart with 18 goals with Tchetche second on 14 and KL’s Brazilian import Guilherme de Paula third with 13 goals. – BY RIZAL ABDULLAH
