KUALA LUMPUR: A last-minute Romel Morales goal gave Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) a 2-1 win over Kedah Darul Aman (KDA) FC in their FA Cup semi-final, first-leg clash at the Darul Aman Stadium in Alor Setar tonight.
Visitors JDT took the game to their hosts right from the first whistle and the move paid off as Oscar Arribas put the Southern Tigers ahead in the 24th minute.
The Canaries then launched a series of attacks but JDT, coached by Hector Pablo Bidoglio, held firm until the break.
The second half saw Kedah continue from where they left off and it took them until the 87th minute to finally get the equaliser, courtesy of Habib Haroon.
But their joy turned to despair as defending champions JDT somehow conjured up a late goal – in the ninth minute of time added on – to score through Morales to take a slim one-goal advantage for the Aug 4 return leg at home.
Meanwhile, home team Terengganu FC (TFC) edged Selangor FC 3-2 in the other FA Cup semi-final, first-leg clash at the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium.
The win ensures the Turtles will head to their rival’s home ground, the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) Stadium on Aug 3 with a slim one-goal advantage.
Although the Red Giants were the more aggressive in the opening exchanges, TFC slowly but surely got their act together to open accounts through Muhammad Safawi Rasid’s well-taken freekick in the 30th minute.
Buoyed, TFC doubled their lead five minutes later through Nurillo Tukhtasinov but Dutchman Alvin Fortes silenced the 31,000 Turtles fans when he narrowed the deficit for the Red Giants in the 39th minute.
The goal revitalised the visitors and they levelled the score in the 48th minute through a Noor Al-Rawabdeh long-range screamer.
TFC, however, had the last say when Nigerian Ismaheel Akinade slotted home a cross from Tukhtasinov for the winner in the 70th minute.
