PETALING JAYA: Pahang have qualified for the Malaysia Cup final after 11 years by beating Sabah 2-1 in the second leg semi-final, to seal the tie 3-2 on aggregate.
Captain Kpah Sherman was the hero for the Elephants, scoring the winner in the 106th minute, at the Temerloh Stadium on Sunday (Feb 2).
Both sides entered the second leg after etching a 1-1 draw in the first leg at the Likas Stadium in Kota Kinabalu on Jan 17.
The first half of the second leg was a cagey affair as both sides played cautiously and the first few goal attempts came courtesy of goalkeeping errors.
In the 15th minute, Sabah goalkeeper Damien Lim made a loose pass, which was capitalised on by Pahang striker Kpah Sherman, but the Liberian placed his shot over the bar.
A minute later, it was Pahang goalkeeper Zarif Irfan Hashimuddin’s turn to make a poor pass but midfielder Stuart Wilkin didn't take advantage of it when he skied his shot to the stands.
Sabah thought they had the lead in the first half of injury time when Spanish midfielder Miguel Cifuentes took advantage of a corner that led to a goalmouth melee but his shot was cleared off the line by makeshift fullback Baqiuddin Shamsuddin.
The second half was a much livelier affair as both sides exchanged attacks and chances, and it was the home side that took the lead.
Pahang scored in the 71st minute when Baqiuddin’s cross was inadvertently headed by Sabah’s substitute centreback Park Tae-su into his own net.
But the lead didn't last long as Sabah only needed six minutes to equalise when substitute striker Joao Pedro found S. Kumaahran with a pass, and his shot beat Zarif.
In the injury time of the second half, Sherman thought he had the winner for Pahang but the captain’s half-volley was just inches off the post.
The game entered extra-time as both teams failed to get a winner in normal time.
Pahang had the lead in the 106th minute when Sherman finally got his goal in the match with a brilliant finish.
He received a pass from David Rowley and then controlled the ball while being marked by Tae-su, but he wiggled off the challenge and shot the ball past Damien.
His winner was enough as Pahang will face Johor Darul Ta’zim in the final at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil in April.
Pahang last played in the 2014 final, where they beat JDT 5-3 in a penalty shootout after both sides eked out a 2-2 draw after regulation time.
