Wednesday, 19 October 2011

Terengganu and Negri Sembilan get advantage in semi final first leg

Terengganu and Negri Sembilan earned crucial away victories over Selangor and T-Team respectively in the semi-final first leg of the Malaysia Cup yesterday.

Manaf Mamat's first half brace helped Terengganu notch a 2-0 victory over Selangor at the Shah Alam Stadium while veteran Hairuddin Omar continued his fine form with two goals in Negri's 4-2 win over T-Team at the Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah Stadium.

Terengganu strikers Manaf, Abdul Hadi Yahya and Ashaari Samsuddin tore apart Selangor's defence with their speed and telepathic understanding as the homesters struggled to organise themselves.


Manaf's cheeky back heel, off a cross from Ashaari left the Selangor players flatfooted to put the 2001 champions in the lead after just 52 seconds.
He again found the net with a powerful drive from outside the penalty box after outwitting his markers in the 33rd minute.

Manaf dedicated both goals to his late father Mamat Mahmud, who passed away last Thursday in Kuala Terengganu.


"My dad would have been so proud if he was still around," said Manaf yesterday.

Safiq Rahim, a key man for Selangor in previous matches, sent three free kicks over the cross bar and one attempt onto the post in the first half.

After the breather, Selangor took a calculated risk by attacking in numbers, which left holes in defence but Terengganu failed to add goals.


Substitutes Rudie Ramli and Fadzli Saari, who came on for an ineffective Hardi Jaafar and Azidan Sarudin, added variety to Selangor's game, which troubled the visitors on numerous times. However, Terengganu held onto their lead until the final whistle.

In Kuala Terengganu, midfielder Shahurain Abu Samah gave Negri the lead in the sixth minute after being set-up by Idris Karim but their lead stood for only five minutes.

Former international Indra Putra Mahayuddin soared above everyone to head the ball home for T-Team's equaliser.

But Hairuddin Omar restored Negri's lead with a brilliant header after meeting a Shukor Adan's cross in the 25th minute for his sixth goal in the Malaysia Cup.

T-Team's Norfarhan Mohamad got his name onto the score sheet in the 41st but two minutes later Hairuddin was once again at the end of S. Kunanlan's cross to head in his second and Negri's third.

It took only six minutes after the breather for Negri to extend their lead through winger Kunanlan, who curled in a loose ball, which led to the substitution of T-Team goalkeeper Zairie Hafizi Idris. Coach Yunus Alif brought on Jibrail Kamaron Baharin as replacement.

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