KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 18 — All good things must come to an end and that’s the case with Negri Sembilan FC.
Having gone eight away matches without defeat in the Super League, they finally came undone when they were edged 1-0 by Kuala Lumpur (KL) City FC at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Cheras here today.
After an evenly-fought first half, the home team went ahead in the first minute of injury time when skipper Paolo Josue headed home a corner taken by midfielder Zhafri Yahya.
Negri Sembilan tried their best to stage a fightback after the break but it was to no avail, with their best chance coming in the 68th minute when a freekick taken by substitute Matheus Alves Leandro sailed just wide off the goalmouth.
This win comes as a big relief for KL City, who are coached by Bojan Hodak, after they were thrashed 5-0 by defending champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) on August 1.
Despite the defeat, Negri Sembilan still remain third in the standings with 32 points while KL are now sixth with 21 points.
Meanwhile, stragglers Penang FC fell to their sixth straight defeat this season when they went down 3-2 to Sri Pahang FC at the City Stadium in Georgetown.
Pahang shot ahead in the 44th minute through import player Andres Steven Rodriguez Ossa before Rafael Vitor Santos equalised for Penang from the penalty spot in the 65th minute.
Pahang, however, regained the lead when Ossa netted his — and the team’s — second in the 74th minute before David Willliam Rowley made it 3-1 six minutes later.
Brazilian striker Lucas Epindola Da Silva reduced the deficit in the 85th minute to try and spark a Penang fightback but it was to no avail.
Having played 16 matches, Pahang are fifth in the standings with 21 points while Penang prop up the table with seven points. — Bernama
