LEAGUE LEADERS JDT EXTEND LEAD WITH 3-0 WIN AS SECOND-PLACED TERENGGANU STUMBLE WITH 1-1 DRAW

KUALA LUMPUR, June (Bernama) -- A hattrick by Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) Brazilian striker Heberty Fernandes against Sri Pahang in tonight’s 3-0 win at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium, Iskandar Puteri, Johor, allowed the Southern Tigers to extend their lead in the Super League.

Heberty’s first goal came early in the match, with a crackling shot from outside the penalty box in the fifth minute but he had to wait till the second half before slotting in his second in the 67th minute as he made Sri Pahang pay dearly for their attempt of securing an equaliser.

The 35-year-old then celebrated his hattrick and his team’s fourth consecutive win this season when he scored in the 88th minute.

JDT, who are strongly favoured to win their 11th Super League title, are now four points ahead of their nearest rival, second-placed Terengganu FC, who have eight points, thanks to their 1-1 draw against Kuching FC at Sarawak State Stadium, Kuching tonight.

Neither team had managed to secure the upper hand as the first half ended goalless, but the visitors managed to put themselves in the driver’s seat in the sixth minute of the second half thanks to a penalty scored by winger Muhammad Safawi Rasid only to watch in agony as Sarawak’s Yuki Tanigawa equalise in the 80th minute, widening the gap between league leaders JDT and Terengganu in the league standings. 

Meanwhile, in PENANG, Ghanaian Ebenezer Assifuah became Kedah Darul Aman (KDA) FC hero after he came on as a substitute and scored the team’s only and winning goal in the 78th minute for a well deserved 1-0 victory over Penang FC at City Stadium.

Penang’s first defeat this season means that they have now dropped to third last in the league standings with three points as they continue to chase their first single win this season.

-- BERNAMA