AFC Cup: KL City create history by advancing to ASEAN zone final

KUALA LUMPUR: Kuala Lumpur (KL) City FC made their own history by advancing to the final of the ASEAN Zone of the Asian Football Confederation Cup (AFC) after overcoming Vietnam's Viettel FC 6-5 in a penalty shootout in Ho Chi Minh City, last night.

In the semi-final clash at the Thong Nhat Stadium, the two teams were tied without a goal after extra time and the winner had to be decided through a penalty shoot-out which saw KL City FC goalkeeper Muhammad Azri Abdul Ghani emerge as the team's hero.

Muhammad Azri guessed correctly when he threw his body towards the left of the goal post to save the home team's seventh penalty kick taken by Bui Duy Thuong thus helping the team book a meeting against Indonesian club PSM Makassar in the final.

Earlier, Muhammad Irfan Zakaria's penalty missed while Tran Danh Trung's shot hit the crossbar in the first five kicks by both teams.

KL City's winning penalty kick was courtesy of Muhammad Akram Mahinan before Muhammad Azri brilliantly saved Duy Thuong's attempt.

The final match of the ASEAN Zone is scheduled to take place on Aug 24 with the venue of the match to be determined through the upcoming draw. The champions will then continue the challenge in the inter-zone semi-finals to continue the hunt for the AFC Cup championship.

For the record, this is the first time The City Boys squad has qualified for the final stage of the ASEAN Zone after ending a 28-year wait to qualify for the knockout round of the competition.

Yesterday, another national representative Kedah Darul Aman (KDA) FC's dream to advance to the ASEAN Zone final was crushed after losing 1-2 to PSM Makassar in another semi-final action.

-- BERNAMA