KUALA LUMPUR: Patience proved decisive as KL City and Negri Sembilan navigated tense ties to book their spots in the Malaysia Cup quarter-finals on Sunday.
Both teams relied on late goals to overcome stubborn opposition in the Round of 16 second-leg matches.
At the KLFA Stadium, KL City produced a spirited comeback to overturn a two-goal deficit from the first leg, defeating Perak 3-0 and advancing 3-2 on aggregate after extra time.
Trailing 0-2 from the first leg in Ipoh, the City Boys dominated possession but found Perak difficult to break down for long spells.
The breakthrough came in the 56th minute when Safawi Rasid struck to give the hosts a lifeline. Despite sustained pressure, KL City had to wait until the final moments of regulation time before Paulo Josue rose to the occasion, scoring in the 90th minute to level the aggregate score and force extra time.
With momentum firmly on their side, KL City completed the turnaround early in extra time as Nicolao Dumitru found the net in the 105+1st minute, sealing a dramatic victory after 120 minutes.
The win set up a quarter-final clash with Terengganu, who advanced comfortably after beating A1 Semi-Pro League side UM-Damansara United 7-0 on aggregate.
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In Paroi, Negri Sembilan were also made to work for their progression in a tightly contested affair against Immigration following a goalless first leg.
The hosts were handed a golden opportunity to take the lead just before halftime when A. Selvan won a penalty in stoppage time, but Takumi Sasaki failed to convert.
Negri’s persistence eventually paid off in the 62nd minute, once again through Selvan’s influence, as his pinpoint cross was met by Luqman Hakim Shamsudin, who calmly finished to score the only goal of the match.
The narrow win sent Negri into a quarter-final showdown with Selangor, who progressed after completing a 5-1 aggregate win over Kelantan The Real Warriors.
For Perak and Immigration, elimination from the Malaysia Cup means a shift in focus to the Challenge Cup, where they will join Sabah, Kelantan Red Warriors, Penang, Police and UM-Damansara United in the next phase of competition.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
