Pahang stomp T-Team to top table

PETALING JAYA: Pahang came alive in the second half to reclaim the Super League top spot with a 2-0 win over club side T-Team at the Sultan Ismail Stadium.

Argentinian striker Matias Conti (pic) opened the scoring last night in the 61st minute and defender Zesh Rahman doubled the lead in the 89th to hand the Elephants their seventh win of the season.

Pahang now lead the 12-team league with 22 points but have played a game more than second-placed Terengganu who are on 20 points.

At the Sultan Mohd IV Stadium in Kota Baru, Kelantan heaped more misery on Armed Forces with a 1-0 victory.

The soldiers are still mired in the relegation zone with just nine points from 11 matches.

Egyptian Mohamed Shawky was the toast of the Red Warriors, scoring the solitary goal in the 61st minute.

Kelantan, however, should have won by a more comfortable margin.

Kelantan looked the sharper side in the first half but were let down by poor finishing.

Lebanese striker Mohammad Ghaddar wasted at least four goalscoring chances.

But the Red Warriors’ most glaring miss was by defender Obinna Nwaneri, who shot wide with a yawning goalmouth in front of him in the 13th minute.

The chances up front were at a premium for Forces, with Venice Elphi having the best opportunity in the 39th minute when he cut inside from the left but pulled his shot wide with just goalkeeper Khairul Fahmi to beat.

In the second half, Kelantan continued to surge forward and managed to break the deadlock just after the hour’s mark with Shawky heading home unchallenged from a Badhri Radzi cross.

At the Perak Stadium, Paulo Rangel converted a spot-kick to steer Selangor to a 1-0 win over his former team Perak.

It was the Brazilian’s ninth goal, making him the league’s top scorer.

Selangor were awarded the penalty in the 22nd minute following a blatant foul by Perak’s Raffi Nagoorgani on midfielder S. Veenod.

It was a miserable night for the Seladang as they were reduced to 10 men in the 88th minute after Shahrizal Mohd Saad was given his marching orders for a foul on Steve Pantelidis.

Meanwhile, defending champions Lions XII proved too strong for club outfit Sime Darby, winning 2-0 at the Selayang Stadium.

Safuwan Baharudin (54th) and Khairul Amri (63rd) scored for the Singapore side.