Composure: Arif Aiman cooly converting a penalty past Terengganu goalkeeper Mohd Suhaimi Husin for Johor Darul Ta’zim’s third goal in the Malaysia Cup final. — CHAN TAK KONG/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Youngster Arif Aiman Hanapi’s boldness stood out as Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) lifted the Malaysia Cup after beating Terengganu 3-1 in the final at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Friday.
The 21-year-old persuaded the more experienced Brazilian striker Bergson Da Silva to give him a shot at taking a penalty when they were awarded one in the 92nd minute after the Southern Tigers had taken the lead 2-1.
Arif earned the penalty after he was fouled by Terengganu centreback Shahrul Nizam Ros Hani.
Da Silva, who is the usual penalty taker along with strike partner Heberty Fernandes, seemed reluctant but after a minute of discussion, they relented.
And nippy winger Arif did not disappoint as he coolly slotted the ball past Terengganu goalkeeper Suhaimi Hussin.
The celebration that came after was understandable as Arif took off his jersey and showed it to the fans - just like how former Barcelona star and Argentinian legend Lionel Messi took off his shirt and showed his number 10 in the 92nd minute during the game between Barcelona and Real Madrid on April 23, 2017.
Seasoned campaigner Da Silva said he did not want Arif to take the shot at first because he wanted to protect the player.
“I love Arif but he is still young. The game was a bit difficult. If he had missed it, Terengganu could have countered and scored the equaliser... and that can break a young player like him,’’ said Da Silva.
My magic number: Arif celebrating with his jersey. — Bernama
“So I tried to push that responsibility towards me because I am the usual penalty taker and I am 32, with some experience. So there is a difference.
“I was thinking of him and the team during that situation.’’
When asked further if he lacked trust in Arif, the Da Silva denied it.
“No, I trust him too much because he is a great player but in that situation, it was a difficult one because it could go either way,” said Bergson.
“For a 21-year-old to take the ball from me and decide to take the penalty, it is a big risk for him but he showed courage and greatness. That goal got us the trophy.”
Arif deservedly got the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for the final and showed why he is one of the top players in the country.
This season, the young phenomenon has been impressive on the domestic stage. In 31 matches, Arif has scored 16 goals in all domestic competitions.
In the AFC Champions League, he has scored two goals and six with the national team.
With such statistics and a courageous, ice-cold character on the field, Arif is slowly moving towards superstar status in Malaysian football.
Earlier, Da Silva had scored the first penalty in the fifth minute, while centreback Feroz Baharuddin got the second in the 73rd minute. Terengganu’s lone goal was scored by Ivan Mamut in the 18th minute via a penalty.
Da Silva said the win was sweet as they played against a side that parked the bus.
“We attacked a lot, attempted many shots and created a lot of opportunities. They defended but we played our game. We’ve created history and we want to repeat it.”
