* Lions XII whip Pahang 4-2
* JDT edge Armed Forces 1-0 to go top
* Perak suffer third straight defeat
* Sime Darby still winless after 18 matches as Selangor win 3-1
* ‘Happy 50th Birthday Singapore’ – Fandi Ahmad
LIONS XII gave Singapore a perfect 50th Birthday present for the republic’s 50th National Day Parade on Sunday – with a 4-2 win over Pahang at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Saturday.
“To all our fans and the people of Singapore a ‘Happy Birthday’….tomorrow we will cut a big cake to celebrate our National Day,” said Fandi after the impressive win over the Elephants which toppled Pahang from the top of the 12-team league with four matches to go.
Lions rode on a brace by Faris Ramli in the 17th and 60th minutes, Madhu Mohana (30th) and Safuwan Baharudin (85th). Pahang’s goalscorers were Matias Conti (43rd) and P. Surendran (90th).
Pahang’s defeat saw JDT shoot to the top of the table with 40 points after Safee Sali netted the winner in the 71st minute with a first timer off a S. Chanturu’s cross who was set up by Luciano Figueroa on a rain soaked pitch at the Stadium Tuanku Abdul Rahman in Paroi, Seremban.
Pahang slipped to 39 points with Selangor third on 29 points after a 3-1 win over winless Sime Darby at the Selayang Stadium with goals by Rizal Fahmi Rosid (19th) Guilherme De Paula (penalty 26th) and Abdul Hadi Yahyah (80th).
Reinaldo De Costa netted Sime Darby’s consolation in the 30th minute from a header but the plantation giant is doomed for relegation to the lower-tier Premier League.
“It was a very satisfying win for us,” said Selangor coach Mehmet Durokavic. “We have been playing well in the last three matches but luck was not with us.”
At the Sultan Mohd IV Stadium in Kota Bahru neighbours Terengganu came back from a goal down to carve out a 2-1 win over the Red Warriors. The Turtles fell behind in the first minute through a Ahmad Fakri Saarani finding the net from a Norfarhan Muhammad pass.
Terengganu equalised through Vincent Bikana header on 25 minutes before another header by Ashari Samsudin beat Kelantan’s national goalkeeper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat in the 74th minute for their ninth win in 16 matches.
Injury hit Perak fell to a 2-0 defeat to Felda United at the Perak Stadium in Ipoh with the home fans calling for coach Datuk M. Karathu’s removal.
Felda skipper Sukor Adan fired home Felda’s opening goal in the 61st minute from a blunder by Perak goalkeeper Zamir Selamat who failed to hold on to the ball. Perak defender Raffi Nagorgani turned the ball into his own net while trying to cut off a Christie Jayaseelan cross in the 69th minute.
“Injuries to our key players like Charles Chad Souza and Namkung Woong has taken a toll on the team. Two of our defenders are also injured and this has crippled the team,” said Karathu.
At the State Stadium in Kuching, Sarawak remained in the relegation zone after a 3-2 defeat to Police.
A late goal by Afif Amiruddin gave Police a narrow 3-2 win over Sarawak. The visitors got their other goals through Ahmad Ezrie Shafizie (20th) and Dramane Traore (86th).
Sarawak scored through international Joseph Kalang Tie (50th) and Ryan Griffiths in the 78th minute. The Crocs are third from the bottom with 14 points – ahead of 11th placed Armed Forces (10th) and Sime Darby last with only four five points.
SUPER LEAGUE RESULTS (AUG 9)
LIONS XII 4 PAHANG 2
JDT 1 ARMED FORCES 0
PERAK 0 FELDA UNITED 2
KELANTAN 1 TERENGGANU 2
SARAWAK 2 POLICE 3
SARAWAK 2 POLICE 3
SIME DARBY 1 SELANGOR
