JDT one match away from ending season as 'The Invincibles'

KUALA LUMPUR: Super League 2022 champions Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) are one match away from ending the season as "The Invincibles" after extending their unbeaten run to 21 matches with a stylish 4-1 win over Kedah Darul Aman (KDA) FC at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri last night.

Playing on home ground, the Southern Tigers were stunned when Wanja Ronald Ngah struck first blood for Kedah in the 45th minute but JDT equalised through Bergson Da Silva's penalty kick in the 50th minute.

JDT, coached by Hector Bidoglio, then went ahead in the 63rd minute through a half-volley by national striker Muhammad Syafiq Ahmad in the penalty box after receiving a pass from Mohd Afiq Fazail.

Muhammad Syafiq, who is a former Kedah player, tightened JDT's grip with the third goal in the 68th minute before Bergson wrapped up the proceedings with his second goal in the 89th minute, thus creating a new league scorer's record with a total of 27 goals.

The result puts the JDT team just one game away from repeating their 2016 feat of ending the season as "The Invincible", having confirmed the Super League title for the ninth time in a row earlier this month.

Meanwhile, the battle for second and third place between Sabah FC, Negeri Sembilan and Terengganu FC to confirm a place in the 2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup continues to be intense with only one match remaining after each capped off their penultimate ties today with victories.

Sabah managed to collect three points after beating Sri Pahang FC 2-1 at Darul Makmur Stadium in Kuantan, with all the goals coming late in the second half.

Pahang went ahead through Andres Steven Rodriguez in the 85th minute but Sabah hit back with goals by national defender Dominic Tan in the 89th minute and Park Tae-Su in stoppage time.

Meanwhile, Negeri Sembilan FC downed Melaka United FC 2-0 at the Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium in Paroi, courtesy of goals by skipper Nasrullah Haniff Johan (34th minute) and Gustavo Almeida Dos Santos (86th minute).

Over at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Cheras, Terengganu FC (TFC) also clinched all three points after edging Kuala Lumpur (KL) City FC 2-1, with Manuel Ott (39th minute) and Tchetche Kipre (first-half injury time) scoring for TFC and Romel Morales scoring the consolation goal for KL City FC in the 64th minute.

At the State Stadium in Kuching, Hein Htet Aung's lone goal in the 71st minute was enough for Selangor FC to continue their winning streak under former national head coach Tan Cheng Hoe and rise to fifth position after downing Sarawak United FC 1-0.

In another Super League clash, Petaling Jaya (PJ) City FC beat basement side Penang FC 2-0 at the Petaling Jaya City Council Stadium.

-- BERNAMA