FA Cup: Pahang take down JDT in penalties

JDT player Safee Sali is challenged from behind by Pahang defender Damion Stewart in their FA Cup second round match in Kuantan on Monday. Pahang won the match 4-2 on penalties after both sides ended the match 1-1 aet. - BERNAMA

PETALING JAYA: It’s payback time indeed for the Elephants.

Defending champions Pahang exacted sweet revenge when they knocked out Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) 4-2 in a penalty shootout after both teams were tied 1-1 in regulation and extra-time in the FA Cup second-round match at the Darul Makmur Stadium in Kuantan on Monday night.

In the shootout, JDT’s Luciano Figueroa and Junior Eldstal turned villains when they failed to convert from the spot while Pahang scored through Matias Conti, Damion Stewart, Zesh Rehman and Razman Roslan. JDT’s scorers were Safee Sali and Hariss Harun.

But the win did not come easy for double winners Pahang, who lost to JDT 2-0 in the season-opener Charity Shield match last month. They were given a mighty scare before notching this hard-earned victory in front of their home fans.

Hotshot Conti put the Elephants in front in the 20th minute.

Singapore’s Hariss levelled the score 10 minute from time to force the game into extra-time, which also failed to break the deadlock.

JDT, who also lost 2-1 to Pahang on aggregate in last year’s semi-finals, started Monday’s match without their best men. They had only two foreigners in the starting line-up – defensive midfielder Hariss and centre-back Marcos Antonio.