SELANGOR survived a furious fightback by Kuala Lumpur to sneak into the FA Cup semi-finals on penalties despite squandering a three-goal advantage going into the quarter-final second leg in Cheras on Saturday.
Despite missing their top-scorer Guilherme De Paula through suspension, KL produced a brave performance to win 3-0 on he night and erase Selangor’s first-leg advantage to force extra-time and eventually penalties.
Selangor goalkeeper Khairul Azhan Khalid made two saves from Indra Putra Mahayuddin and Firdaus Faudzi for the five-time FA Cup winners to edge a pulsating shoot-out 8-7 and book a semi-final date with PKNS.
PKNS held Perak to a 2-2 draw in Ipoh to advance to the last-four 4-3 on aggregate.
“We lost the game but this is knockout tie and we had a chance in the penalty shootout which the players took advantage of,” said Selangor coach Nazliazmi Nasir after the game at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium which both teams share.
“I didn’t expect to go to penalties. I’m shocked by how well KL played but we were a bit complacent. We should not have been too comfortable and this is a lesson for the team.”
With Amri Yahyah, Willian Pacheco and Halim Zainal all suspended, Selangor struggled to contain a rampant KL who could have won by a bigger margin.
Zaquan Adha Radzak struck the first blow in the 15th minute when he turned in Ashri Chuchu’s squared pass before Indra sent a free-kick crashing off the crossbar.
Indra, however, sent in a perfectly-weighted cross into the box for the on-rushing Paulo Josue to head in on the stroke of half-time for a 2-0 KL lead.
Nine minutes after the break, KL drew level 3-3 on aggregate when Syazwan Andik Ishak side-stepped two defenders to beat Khairul Azhan with a curling effort.
With no further goals, penalties were needed to decide the winners and Khairul Azhan’s experience proved the difference as he saved two spot kicks.
It was the first time in 12 occasions that KL have lost a penalty shoot-out in FA Cup history.
“It was one of the best performance by KL this season that’s why it’s so heart breaking to lose,” said KL assistant coach Chong Yee Fatt, standing in for coach Fabio Maciel, who was serving a touchline ban.
“They all did their best and we fought to the end which is a good sign for the team.” – BY DEVINDER SINGH
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