KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia Cup draw has thrown up the tantalising prospect of a repeat final between Kuala Lumpur City and Johor Darul Ta’zim.
In last year’s final, KL lifted the Malaysia Cup for the fourth time after defeating JDT 2-0.
In yesterday’s draw conducted by the Malaysian Football League (MFL), JDT and KL have been kept apart and will only come face-to-face in the final.
In the draw, JDT, the newly-crowned league champions and two-time Malaysia Cup winners (2017, 2019) will face the ninth-placed team in the Super League, currently Negri Sembilan, in the first-round tie on Oct 15.
If the Southern Tigers clear the first round, they will take on the winners of the match between Kelantan and the 10th-placed Super League team in the last eight.
JDT are expected to face their first real test in the semi-finals, where they should come up against the third-placed Super League team which could be either Sabah, Terengganu or Negri.
Meanwhile, KL can expect a tougher passage to the final if they were to remain in fifth spot in the Super League as the City Boys will then begin their title defence against Kelantan United and the runners-up of the Super League (either Sabah, Terengganu or Negri) in the semi-finals.
Should the City Boys drop to sixth, then they will be up against Police in the first round and face the runners-up of the Super League in the quarter-finals.
This year’s first-round matches will kick off on Oct 25 and 26. The final will be held on Nov 26. — Bernama
