SMK Za’ba of Negeri Sembilan kept pace at the top of the Super League of the Minister of Education League Cup Under-14 following their comprehensive 3-0 beating of SMK Seksyen 11 of Selangor on Saturday.
With runaway leaders Gambang Sports School U14 still unbeaten after eight matches, the win by SMK Za’ba this week made sure that they maintain their place on second in the standings but with a whopping ten points difference.
And this week, SMK Za’ba were firing on all pistons as they pressured SMK Seksyen 11 to conceding an own goal through Muhammad Faiq Dzihny Suhadzri in the 33rd minute before adding two more in the second half.
Daniel Zulqarnain Mohamad Rudzlan found the back of the net in the 50th minute and then Muhammad Amirul Roosli in the 68th minute.
“We won because the team played to instruction. When we play away, we defended from the midfield and relied more on counter attacks,” said Mazwan Mansor, the head coach of SMK Za’ba afterwards.
“We cannot play the way we usually play at home. We have to defend in numbers and also go into the attack as a team.
“We are playing really well at the moment where this family atmosphere that we have created in the squad has really made the difference. We should be able to qualify for the quarter-finals.”
On the other the hand, Gambang Sports School remained on course for their first ever crown this year when they edged SMK Mutiara Impian of Penang 1-0 at home.
In the match that was played at the Gambang Mini Stadium, Muhammad Aiman Syakir Mohd Zulkifli struck the only goal of the game in the 65th minute to ensure them their seventh win in eight matches.
The side from Gambang has now picked up 22 points and should ensured themselves a place in the quarter-finals this year.
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In the meantime in the Premier League, the Sports School of Tengku Mahkota Ismail (SSTMI) strengthened their position at the top of the table with a close 2-1 away win over SMK Seberang Temerloh of Pahang.
Muhamad Muizzuddin Nafis Nazrol gave the visitors the lead after just two minutes before Muhammad Azim Mohd Rafik equalized for the homesters in the 43rd minute.
But T. Saravanan ensured SSTMI the full points with the winner deep in injury time for them to stay top with 21 points from eight matches played.
Five points adrift on second is SMK Putera of Kelantan who did not play this week.
SUPER LEAGUE UNDER-14 RESULTS
SMK Za’ba (NEGERI SEMBILAN) 3
SMK Seksyen 11 (SELANGOR) 0
Gambang Sports School (U14) 1
SMK Mutiara Impian (PENANG) 0
SMK Tunku Anum (KEDAH) 1
SMK Syed Hassan (PERLIS) 0
SUPER LEAGUE STANDINGS
| TEAM | P | W | L | D | F | A | GD | PTS |
| SSM PAHANG (B14) | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 22 | 22 |
| SMK ZA’BA (SSN N.SEMBILAN) | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 12 |
| SMK TUNKU ANUM T.A.R (SSN KEDAH) | 8 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 10 | -1 | 11 |
| SMK SYED HASSAN (SSN PERLIS) | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 6 | -2 | 9 |
| SMK BUKIT NENAS (SSN TERENGGANU) | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 12 | -4 | 9 |
| SMK MUTIARA IMPIAN (SSN P.PINANG) | 8 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 10 | -2 | 8 |
| SMK TABUAN JAYA (SSN SARAWAK) | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 14 | -6 | 6 |
| SMK SEKSYEN 11 (SSN SELANGOR) | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 12 | -9 | 4 |
PREMIER LEAGUE RESULTS
SMK Seberang Temerloh (PAHANG) 1
Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (U14) 2
SMK Gunung Rapat (PERAK) 0
SMK Seri Titiwangsa (KUALA LUMPUR) 2
SMK Datuk Peter Monjuntin (SABAH) 2
SMK Seri Kota (MELAKA) 2
PREMIER LEAGUE STANDINGS
| TEAM | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
| SSM TUNKU MAHKOTA ISMAIL (B14) | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 28 | 5 | 23 | 21 |
| SMK PUTERA (SSN KELANTAN) | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 16 |
| SMK DATUK PETER MONJUNTIN (SSN SABAH) | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 15 | -2 | 14 |
| SMK SERI TITIWANGSA (SSN WP KUALA LUMPUR) | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 12 |
| SMK SERI KOTA (SSN MELAKA) | 8 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 14 | 2 | 10 |
| SMK SEBERANG TEMERLOH (SSN PAHANG) | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 20 | -10 | 7 |
| SMK TUN HUSSEIN ONN (SSN JOHOR) | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 10 | -5 | 5 |
| SMK GUNUNG RAPAT (SSN PERAK) | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 20 | -16 | 3 |
