Kelantan players celebrating after winning the Super League
Needing just a draw against Sabah to be crowned league champions, the Red Warriors managed to eke out a narrow 2-1 win at the Likas Stadium in Kota Kinabalu, with Norshahrul scoring both goals.
However, the east coast side did not have it easy and have to thank Norshahrul for getting on the scoresheet in the sixth and 71st minutes.
Substitute Razalan Oto reduced the deficit for the home team in the 75th minute.
The Super League triumph was only Kelantan’s second major silverware, following their Malaysia Cup success last year. Kelantan had also bagged the Charity Shield earlier this year, but lost to Terengganu in the FA Cup final (1-2 after extra-time) at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil last month.
Kelantan coach Datuk M. Karathu will be pleased with his boys for capturing the Super League.
And he will let them take a deserving break for the fasting month before the teams resume their campaign in the Malaysia Cup competition in September.
However, Norshahrul’s hopes of becoming the Super League top scorer with a total of 19 goals was dashed when Terengganu hitman Abdul Yahaya pipped him for the Golden Boot award. Abdul Hadi scored an astonishing four goals in the Turtles’ 6-2 win over Felda United at the MBPJ Stadium in Kelana Jaya to take his season’s total to 20 goals.
Kelantan, on 53 points, went into the game with a two-point lead over Selangor and could not afford to lose to Sabah, while third-placed Terengganu on 50 points, still had a mathematical chance to lift the Super League title. Selangor’s hopes of winning the Super League title for the third consecutive year were dashed when they were held to a goalless draw by Perak at the Perak Stadium in Ipoh. Selangor also lost their second spot in the standings to Terengganu, who won big in Kelana Jaya.
Kelantan players celebrate Norshahrul's first goal
In Kota Kinabalu, the Red Warriors fielded their strongest line-up, which included the five national players who featured in the Asian Zone World Cup qualifying match in Taiwan on Sunday. The Sabah defence were caught napping when Norshahrul stuck out his foot in the sixth minute to stab Ramzul Zahini Adenan’s flick past goalkeeper Azizon Kadir.
Norshahrul was again on target in the 71st minute when his well-weighted left-footer from the top of the box sailed into the net. Sabah reduced the deficit through Razlan in the 75th minute but Kelantan held on to confirm the league title.
Meanwhile, Pahang will join basement side Perlis in the Premier League next season. Pahang, with 22 points, went down 0-1 to Kedah in Kuantan.
Kuala Lumpur escaped relegation when they hey edged T-Team 3-2 in Kuala Terengganu to finish third from bottom on 26 points.
Final Super League Table
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