SMK Za’ba of Negeri Sembilan have opened up a two-point lead at the top of the Super League of the Ministry of Education League Cup Under-17 following their slim 2-1 over former champions SMK Tunku Anum of Kedah on Saturday.
The side which is based in Kuala Pilah had to play catch up for much of the match when the visiting side from the north struck first through Mohd Shahrul Anuar Sulaiman in the 24th minute.
But the homesters, who have yet to taste defeat so far this season, staged a brilliant fight back in the second half when they found the back of the net twice off Mohamad Haziq Fikri Haszaime in the 67th minute and Muhammad Farouq Adam Khan in the 70th minute.
With the league going into the pivotal halfway point of the season next week, the win has allowed SMK Za’ba to open up a two-point advantage over second-placed Bukit Jalil Sports School, who this week were held to a scoreless draw by defending champions SMK Bukit Nenas of Terengganu.
On the other hand, both SMK Syed Hassan of Perlis and also SMK Tabuan Jaya of Sarawak kept up the chase at the top half of the standings when they each won their respective matches to remain third and fourth respectively.
SMK Syed Hassan edged the U16 team of Gambang Sport School 2-1 off a double from Mukhlis Ihsan Najmi Mohamad Nadzir (37th and 59th minute) after Muhammad Zhafir Mohd Yusoff had given the visitors the lead in the ninth minute.
For SMK Tabuan Jaya, they made sure of the full points when they romped to a 4-0 thrashing of Penang’s SMK Mutiara Impian in Kuching through Wan Badzreen Wan Yusuf (65th minute), Hendry Amir Anak Simon (66th) and Marcel Owen Anak Bell (73rd and 85th).
The loss was SMK Mutiara Impian’s biggest defeat of the season.
In the meantime in the Premier League, there seem to be no way in stopping leaders SMK Putera of Kelantan from grabbing the title this year when they easily overcame Datuk Peter Monjuntin of Sabah 4-0 in Kota Kinabalu.
Playing away seems to be of little deterrence to SMK Putera’s offensive play when they scored through Mohammad Imran Samso in the 28th and 87th minute, Afiq Saluddin (29th) and Muhamad Aliff Akrab Aziz (65th).
The win ensured SMK Putera their place at the top of the Premier League as they look to win one of four available places from the group into the quarter-finals.
SMK Tun Hussein Onn of Johor went up to second following their close 2-1 win over SMK Seri Titiwangsa of Kuala Lumpur.
Goals from Che Mohamad Amirul Haqim Che Halim (28th minute) and Mohammad Aminur Raihan Abdul Malik (30th) gave the southerners the full points although Kuala Lumpur did pull a late goal from Hazirul Firdaus Shamsudin in the 82nd minute.
The MELC and 100PLUS Super Cup are among several youth programmes and competitions sudpported by 100PLUS, Malaysia’s leading isotonic beverage.
The others include the 100PLUS Malaysian Junior Golf Open and the 100PLUS National Junior Badminton Circuit. 100PLUS is recommended by the National Sports Council.
UNDER-17 RESULTS
SUPER LEAGUE
SMK Bukit Nenas (TERENGGANU) 0
Bukit Jalil Sports School (U16) 0
SMK Za’ba (NEGERI SEMBILAN) 2
SMK Tunku Anum (KEDAH) 1
SMK Syed Hassan (PERLIS) 2
Gambang Sports School (U16) 1
SMK Tabuan Jaya (SARAWAK) 4
SMK Mutiara Impian (PENANG) 0
PREMIER LEAGUE
Gambang Sports School (U15) 2
SMK Seberang Temerloh (PAHANG) 1
SMK Tun Hussein Onn (JOHOR) 2
SMK Seri Titiwangsa (KUALA LUMPUR) 1
Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (U15) 0
SMK Seri Kota (MELAKA) 1
SMK Datuk Peter Monjuntin (SABAH) 0
SMK Putera (KELANTAN) 4
