Pahang skipper Matthew Davies fired home a late injury-time header to beat Selangor outfit PKNS FC 3-2 as the East Coast side tightened their reins in second place of the Malaysian Super League 2019.
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Incidentally, all three goals for the Elephants were scored by the defenders with Frenchman Herold Golan giving Pahang the lead after 31 minutes of play. Another defender Muslim Ahmad added the second in the 43rd minute for a 2-0 lead at halftime.
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However, PKNS rattled Pahang as the visitors drew level with two quick goals in a seven-minute spell which began in the 61st minute when Liberian hitman Kpah Sherman scored his 13th goal for his team. Six minutes later Argentine striker Gabriel Guerra made it 2-2 and Pahang was backpedaling.
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International Davies a pillar of strength in the Pahang backline rescued the Elephants with a glancing header off a corner for full points. Pahang is second in the table standings with 36 points from 19 matches.
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Melaka United also staved off PKNP (Perak SEDC) for a 2-1 win at the Hang Jebat Stadium with goals by Ivory Coast striker Davy Angan (42nd) and the Philippines international Patrick Reichelt (59th) after Giancarlo Rodriguez had given the visitors a shock 14th-minute lead.
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The win saw Melaka move up a rung to third place with 32 points after 20 matches.
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FA Cup finalists were denied a win at the Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah Stadium in Kuala Terengganu when Ivory Coast striker Kipre Tchetche scored in added time for Terengganu to share the spoils in a 2-2 draw. It was a costly draw for Kedah who now has 31 points after 20 matches and slipped to fourth place.Â
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Singapore international Shakir Hamzah gave Kedah the lead after only five minutes of play before Uzbek Sanjar Shaakhmedov equalized for the Turtles in the 33rd minute. The Red Eagles soared again when national player Baddrol Bakhtiar was on target in added time before the halftime break.
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Tchetche rescued Terengganu with an injury-time goal. – BY RIZAL ABDULLAH