Circuit 4 Recap: Pahang's First Defeat, and USM's First Win

Circuit 4 brought two milestones that had been building for weeks. Selangor inflicted Pahang Rangers' first defeat of the season, winning 5-3 with Syahir Iqbal scoring twice, a result that confirmed no side in the division was yet capable of matching the leaders over a full match. A day later, USM finally recorded their first win and first clean sheet of the campaign, beating Wipers 8-0 with Muhammad Izzat and Danial Zhafirul among the scorers, a breakthrough that arrived after seven rounds without a win.

The circuit's other results largely followed the season's established pattern. Johor Darul Ta'zim beat ATM 8-3, with Muhamad Norakmal scoring a hat-trick of his own, while KL City continued their habit of alternating good and bad results, beating USM 3-2 before losing 5-2 to Terengganu, Daniel Almeida among the scorers in the win. ATM, fresh from their dramatic draw with KL City the previous circuit, beat PFA Odin Sarawak 5-1, Muhammad Bukhari again among the goals, before being beaten heavily by JDT on the second matchday.

Pahang Rangers responded well to their first defeat, beating PFA Odin Sarawak 5-2 on the second matchday, Akmarulnizam Idris scoring twice, a reminder that a single loss to Selangor was unlikely to derail a campaign built on one of the league's most productive strike partnerships. Terengganu's win over KL City, built on goals from Iqhmal Najmie and Mohd Hafizi, offered a rare bright spot in an otherwise inconsistent season for the east coast side.

Four circuits in, the destination at the top of the table already looked close to settled, with Selangor's unbeaten record intact and Pahang Rangers demonstrating, in defeat and in recovery, exactly the kind of resilience that would keep them competitive for the remainder of the campaign.