JDT make it five in a row

Darul Ta’zim (JDT) secured their fifth straight Super League crown after a come from behind 2-1 win over Perak in Ipoh yesterday.

With the success, the Southern Tigers have qualified for next year’s tournament proper of the AFC Champions League.

The win yesterday was their 15th of the season in 18 league matches and they now have an unassailable 16-point lead at the top of the standings.

“We were slightly lacking in the first half, but we managed to bounce back even after they scored first,” said JDT midfielder Hariss Harun.

“We did not panic despite things not going our way. I feel that the experience we have garnered from our previous league wins was the key today.”

JDT were presented with the first clear chance of the match in the first half but Fernando Marquez dragged his shot just wide from the edge of the penalty box.

Perak took lead in the 72nd minute through Norhakim Hassan before Hariss equalised for JDT three minutes later.

Substitute Safawi Rasid scored the winner with a header past Perak goalkeeper Hafizul Hakim Khairul Nizam Jothy seven minutes before the final whistle.

In other matches, Melaka thrashed Kedah 4-1 while Terengganu defeated Kuala Lumpur 3-1.

Meanwhile, Malaysia reached the semi-finals of the AFF Under19 Championship after overcoming Myanmar 1-0 in a Group B match in Indonesia yesterday.

Shivan Pillay Asokan was the toast with the only goal of the match in the 17th minute.

Bojan Hodak’s side topped the group with 10 points, three more than second-place Myanmar.

Malaysia take on Indonesia while Myanmar will play defending champions Thailand in tomorrow’s semi-finals.