The race hots up
T-Team, Kedah and Penang strong contenders for promotion
GEORGE TOWN: It’s beginning to look more and more like a threehorse race for the two promotion slots from the Premier League to the Super League.
Tomislav Steinbruckner, the coach of Premier League leaders T-Team, even predicts it to be a tossup between his side, Kedah and Penang.
The Croatian offered this assessment after watching T-Team’s 10-match winning run come to a halt in the 1-1 draw with Penang at the City Stadium on Friday night.
Brazilian Hilton Moreira opened the scoring for the Panthers with an exquisite freekick in the 23rd minute. Uzbek hotshot Farhod Tajidiyev equalised from the penalty spot six minutes later for the visitors.
Penang played for more than an hour with only 10 men after leftback Farid Ramli was sent off in the 22nd minute for retaliating against Croatian midfielder Josip Milardovic.
“Before the game, I would have been happy with a draw against Penang. But I’m not satisfied now because we failed to take advantage of having an extra player for a long period,” said Steinbruckner.
“Our lead is cut, but at least there are still eight matches and 24 points to play for. I expect the fight (for the two promotion places) to be between T-Team, Kedah and Penang until the end of the season.”
Although T-Team are still top on 33 points, the draw against Penang allowed Kedah, who beat Kuantan FA 3-2 in Alor Setar, to halve the Titans’ lead to two points. The Panthers are a further two points behind in third position.
Penang coach Jacksen Tiago rued the missed opportunity to close the gap on the leaders to one point.
“I’m not angry with Farid ... just disappointed that his reaction affected us badly,” said the Brazilian coach.
“Eleven on eleven, we could have won the game.”
Kedah overtook Penang for second spot on Friday after defeating Kuantan 3-2 at the Darulaman Stadium in Alor Setar.
Striker Syafiq Ahmad (13th, 17th) starred with a brace before Liridon Krasniqi added a third in the 57th minute.
Kuantan tried to stage a late comeback through forwards Mohd Zamri Hassan (73rd) and Fabrice Noel (79th) but the Red Eagles held on for the win.
Sabah lost ground on the top three after falling to a shock 2-1 defeat to DRB Hicom at the Hang Jebat Stadium in Malacca.
Ivan Babic (ninth) and Fakrul Aiman Sidid (33rd) were on target for the club side. El Hadji Diouf ’s 63rd-minute penalty was not enough to save the Rhinos, who remain in fourth position on 26 points.
Negri Sembilan relied on a late rally to rescue a point in the 2-2 draw against UiTM FC in Paroi. The university side seemed headed for victory after first half goals by Dao Bakary (21st) and Abdi Kassim Sadallah (26th) but were pegged back by late strikes from Francis Doe (82nd) and Rezal Zambery Yahya (86th).
Mohd Irfan Fazail’s strike five minutes from time allowed Johor Darul Ta’zim II to edge bottom side SPA Putrajaya 1-0 in Larkin. The win lifted the southerners into sixth spot (21 points) above Negri Sembilan (20).
PKNS FC, who thrashed Kuala Lumpur 4-0 on Wednesday, are fifth on 23 points.