Match Report: ATM 5-4 USM
ATM held out to win a thriller against a battling USM that virtually guarantees them 6th spot.
ATM and USM served up the pick of Circuit 9's opening day in Shah Alam, a nine-goal thriller settled by a rapid second-half hat-trick from captain Alif Iqwan in a match that doubled as a shootout for sixth place and the last automatic play-off spot.
Mohamad Danial Abdul Dain gave Izmir Firdaus Bin Zainal Ariff's side the perfect start, on the mark after just a minute, and Faizulnizam Aziz doubled the lead soon after. USM hit back twice either side of the ten-minute mark, Muhammad Izzat pulling one back before Ahmad Muazzim Shakri drew Mohd Yuzmuhaimizee Bin Yaacob's side level at 2-2, the score that held to half time.
Alif Iqwan settled matters in remarkable fashion after the break, three goals inside four minutes turning 2-2 into 3-2, 4-2 and 5-2 in a devastating spell. USM refused to lie down, Mohammad Eikmal halving the deficit with two late goals in the final minute, the second arriving moments after Muhammad Danial Zhafirul Bazlan saw red, but there was no time left for USM to find a leveller.
Alif Iqwan's treble earned him the player of the match award in a result that took ATM to 15 points, clear daylight above USM, who stay on 10 with one match of the regular season left to play.
USM's play-off hopes are now all but over. Even victory over PFA Odin Sarawak in their final match would take them to only 13 points, three short of ATM's total with one match left to play. Barring a dramatic swing elsewhere, sixth place now looks to be ATM's to lose.
