Premier teams rule
Negri and Terengganu join Kedah in FA Cup semi-finals
PETALING JAYA: Two Premier League outfits – Negri Sembilan and Terengganu – have booked their berths in the FA Cup semi-finals.
Negri held fellow Premier League outfit Sabah to a goalless draw to advance with a 1-0 aggregate win at the Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium in Paroi last night.
The Deer, who won the first leg 1-0, lived dangerously under the visitors’ relentless attacks in the first-half.
The hosts finally found their feet in the second half and could have wrapped up the win but Croatian striker Marko Simic’s attempt hit the upright and went out.
Negri will meet the winner of the Johor Darul Ta’zim–Pahang clash at the Larkin Stadium tomorrow in the semi-final.
At the State Stadium in Kuching, Terengganu upstaged Super League side Sarawak 4-1 in the penalty shoot-out.
The Turtles took the lead in the ninth minute through winger Issey Nakajima but the Crocs’ defender Costa Demerson equalised in the 79th minute to tie the match 2-2 on aggregate and force extra time.
Terengganu were then reduced to 10 men after midfielder Abdul Latiff Suhaimi picked up his second booking in the 120th minute for reckless challenge.
Coach Irfan Bakti’s man showed nerves of steel to emerge victorious in the shoot-out.
Kedah’s 6-1 win in the first leg proved to be too high a mountain for PKNP as they crashed out 6-2 on aggregate despite a 1-0 win at the Perak Stadium in Ipoh.
The Premier League outfit opened scoring through hotshot striker Shahrel Fikri in the 10th minute but the Red Eagles quickly regrouped and held on to advance to the semi- final to meet Terengganu.