KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 — Despite having to play without a head coach, league leaders Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) did not lack any motivation after thrashing Sarawak United FC 4-0 in a Super League match at the State Stadium in Kuching, last night.

JDT today sprung a surprise in the local football fraternity when the club announced that manager Benjamin Mora had officially left the Southern Tigers squad to return to his native Mexico due to personal matters, just a few hours before the kick-off in Kuching.

In tonight’s action, former national striker Ahmad Hazwan Bakri put JDT in front in the 13th minute after taking advantage of a Sarawak defensive lapse when he took advantage of La’Vere Corbin-Ong’s quick throw-in.

Seven minutes later, JDT, managed by by assistant head coach Mohd Hamzani Omar last night, took a comfortable 2-0 lead after sensational Brazilian import striker Bergson da Silva found some space to connect a teammate’s header from a corner kick.

Defender Muhammad Syahmi Safari who received a long pass from Argentinian import striker Fernando Forestieri scored JDT’s third goal in the 79th minute before it was Forestieri’s turn to score with a penalty kick at the dying minutes of the match after he was brought down.

JDT now sit pretty at the top of the league with 32 points from 12 matches with Sabah FC (28 points) in second place while Negri Sembilan FC climbed to third position with 23 points after scoring a narrow 2-1 victory over Terengganu FC (TFC) at the Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium in Paroi last night.

Negri Sembilan import winger Yashir Pinto scored the opening goal in the 17th minute when he calmly finished off a teammate’s pass, but TFC only needed two minutes to equalise with Tchetche Kipre’s finish in the 19th minute.

Goalkeeper Muhammad Rahadiazli Rahalim’s mistake in handling the ball saw Gustavo Dos Santos taking advantage and scoring Negri Sembilan’s winning goal in the 52nd minute.

Meanwhile, two goals from Ghanaian import striker Jordan Mintah ensured that Kuala Lumpur (KL) City FC secured three valuable points after overcoming Kedah Darul Aman (KDA) FC 2-1 at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Cheras.

Mintah who joined The City Boys squad from TFC II last month scored the equaliser which was also his first goal with the new club in the 56th minute after Aiman Alif Afizul had put KDA FC ahead in the 42nd minute.

He then scored the winner in the 72nd minute which saw KL City rise to fourth position with 18 points.

In another Super League match, Seri Pahang beat Selangor FC 2-0 at the Darul Makmur Stadium in Kuantan with goals from Steven Rodriguez and Abdul Malik Mat Ariff in the 34th and 39th minutes respectively. — Bernama