Match Report: Pahang Rangers Win In Extra Time
A thrilling semi-final second leg saw Pahang Rangers clinch a place in the final after an extra time win over two-time defending champions JDT in Pasir Gudang.
The second leg of the semi-final between JDT and Pahang Rangers lived up to expectations in Pasir Gudang as the match, which was bad tempered at times, went all the way to the wire.
Pahang Rangers won the first leg 4-2, and a win here would have been enough to get the job done in regulation time.
With the aggregate score not taken into account, JDT needed a win to take the match into extra time.
Pahang got off to the perfect start as one of their players of the season, Rodrigo Da Silva, put them ahead after just two minutes to silence the home crowd.
But Joao Almeida's side drew level four minutes later through Andresito's 23rd goal of the season.
Thirteen minutes passed by without a goal as both sides fought fiercely to regain the advantage and it was JDT that edged ahead for the first time in the match, Bruno Taffy with an important goal for the two-time defending champions from a second penalty after Pahang reached five fouls.
The lead though lasted until the 25th minute as Pahang keeper Afiq Rahman surged forward and finished brilliantly to equalise.
Then things threatened to boil over, JDT's Mohamad Awalludin and Pahang's Syazwan Ashraf squared up to each other and were both red carded by referee Helday Idang.
After things had calmed down, JDT retook the lead, thanks to a brilliant individual goal from Mohd Ridzwan, it proved to be the decisive goal as JDT finished 3-2 winners after forty minutes to take the match into extra time.
With the score reset to 0-0 and five minutes each half it was winner takes all, but with the potential for penalties if needed.
The sides matched each other until the second half, just thirty seconds in JDT keeper brought down Felipe De Souza and was also red carded.
Pahang eventually took control, Rodrigo Da Silva fired in his second of the match and with 17 seconds left, Felipe De Souza turned away from Andresito and casually lifted the ball over replacement keeper Amiro Izzat to seal the victory and send Eloy Alonso's side into the final where they will meet with Terengganu or Selangor who play their semi-final second leg next Saturday.
