KL lift 2017 Premier League title
KUALA LUMPUR: Kuala Lumpur have been crowned Premier League champions despite losing 1-3 to Johor Darul Ta'zim II (JDT II) in their final league match at Pasir Gudang Municipal Stadium in Johor Bahru, Friday night.
The league championship success was aided by the defeat of their nearest competitors, Terengganu who also lost 1-3 to PKNP FC at Perak Stadium in Ipoh.
Kuala Lumpur and Terengganu also confirmed their promotion to the Super League next season after taking the top two spots in the Premier League this season.
In a match in Johor Bahru, JDT 2 led comfortably with a 3-0 margin via Jeronimo Barrales in the third minute, D. Saarvindran (20th minute) and Nicolas Fernandez in the 60th minute before Guilherme De Paula reduced the deficit for Kuala Lumpur with a penalty in the 63rd minute.
In Perak Stadium, Terengganu went ahead through Tchetche Hermann Brice Kipre in the sixth minute before PKNP FC replied with three goals via Gilberto Valdenesio in the 51st minute and Hyeon Woo Kim in the 65th and 67th minutes.
UiTM FC collected three points at home after chalking up a 4-1 win over Kuantan FA at UiTM Stadium in Shah Alam.
The four goals of The Lions Troop were netted by Raslam Khan in the 12th minute, Akanni Sunday Wasiu (22th and 26th minutes) as well as Do Donghyun in the 25th minute before Kuantan FA closed the gap via Abdul Malik Mat Ariff in the 33rd minute.
In Likas Stadium, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah also garnered three points with a 2-1 victory over Negeri Sembilan.
Meanwhile, MISC-MIFA stayed in the Premier League next season after beating Police 3-0 at Petaling Jaya City Council Stadium.
MISC-MIFA's three goals were scored by V. Satheskumar in the 38th minute, Sean Kpah Sherman in a penalty in the 66th minute and M. Youwaransan in the 78th minute.
In this regard, the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) edged Perlis 2-1 at Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium in Paroi, even though both teams were relegated to the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) League after occupying the last two spots in the Premier League table.
The two ATM goals were netted by Pavel Smolyachenko in the 54th minute and Muhammad Faiz Ibrahim in the 89th minute while Perlis scored their solitary goal via Muhammad Zafuan Azeman in the 85th minute.