PETALING JAYA: Selangor mounted a strong fightback led by captain Faisal Halim to beat Kelantan the Real Warriors 2-1 in the Malaysia Cup round of 16 first-leg match at the Sultan Mohd IV Stadium in Kota Baru.
Faisal scored his first goal in the 61st minute when he capitalised on a defensive melee to beat Bulgarian goalkeeper Damyan Damyanov with a stinging finish.
The second came in injury time when the 28-year-old capitalised on another loose defensive clearance with a superb half-volley inside the box to ensure the Red Giants return to Petaling Jaya with an advantage.
Kelantan broke the deadlock in the 25th minute when Filipino wingback Simen Lyngbo finished off a cutback from winger Syafik Ismail.
The return-leg will be held at the Petaling Jaya Stadium on Jan 23.
Selangor coach Kim Pan-gon was happy with the win but also realised some things need to be fixed before their next match.
"It was a tough game and we did struggle. The pitch was not easy as well. The schedule as well, some boys were tired. But we overcame these situations and got the win. In Petaling Jaya, we will have a better game," said the South Korean.
"We made a lot of mispasses and lacked concentration. We have to work on having better control. It is the basics we have to correct."
