Penang survive

RELEGATED: Terengganu, Police to play in Premier League next season

FAIZAT Ghazli’s late goal helped Penang avoid the drop as they edged Terengganu 1-0 at City Stadium yesterday as the east coast side and Police were relegated from the Super League.

Champions Darul Ta’zim became the first team to go undefeated in the league since 1979 with a 2-1 win over Selangor at Shah Alam Stadium.

Penang and a weakened Terengganu played entertaining football as both needed a win to avoid being relegated.

The hosts dominated the first half with free-kicks from Faiz Subri and Matias Cordoba denied by Terengganu goalkeeper Sharbinee Allawee Ramli.

However, Penang’s pressure game paid dividends when Faizat latched onto a square ball from Jafri Firdaus Chew from the right and guided it into an empty net in the 89th minute to end the season in 10th position ahead of Police and Terengganu.

Sarawak and Police faced off in Kuching with each focusing on winning the match to avoid possible relegation.

Nur Shamie Iszuan Amin netted in the 89th minute to earn Sarawak a 2-1 win.

Police took the lead through Guilherme de Paula in the 26th minute before Gilmar Filho levelled for Sarawak from the penalty spot in the 45th minute.

For Terengganu, it is their first drop since they last played in the Premier League in 2006 while Police will return to second-tier football next season after two seasons in the Super League.

In Shah Alam, Darul Ta’zim took the lead through Pereyra Diaz in the 64th minute to end the season as the league’s top scorer with 18 goals, only for substitute Ahmad Hazwan Bakri to net the equaliser for Selangor in the 71st minute.

However, Amri Yahyah scored the winning goal for Darul Ta’zim in the 77th minute to inflict Selangor their eighth defeat in the league.

With the win, Darul Ta’zim not only completed the league unbeaten but also won the title by a 15-point margin, the biggest in the Super League era.

For Selangor, who finished fifth, they finished outside the top three for the first time since 2009 but they can make amends in the Malaysia Cup final next weekend.

Kelantan maintained fourth position following a 2-2 draw with Perak in Kota Baru.

Blazhe Ilijoksi scored a brace in the 38th and 90th minutes for Kelantan while Perak replied through Shahrul Saad (53rd) and Fazrul Hazli Kadri (66th).

In Kuala Terengganu, Patrick Cruz’s 82ns minute strike earned TTeam a 1-1 draw with Pahang.

Pahang took the lead in the 30th minute through Faysal Shayesteh.

In the Premier League, Malacca were held 1-1 by relegated Sime Darby at Hang Jebat Stadium.

Mateo Roskam scored for Sime Darby with a solo effort in the 79th minute but Saiful Mustafa levelled with a free-kick in the final minute.