Loss to Armed Forces condemns Sime Darby to FAM Cup
PETALING JAYA: Sime Darby have been demoted to the FAM Cup.
Their stay in the 12-team Premier League has come to an end after losing 3-1 to Armed Forces in their penultimate match at the Temerloh Stadium in Pahang yesterday.
Sime Darby last featured in the FAM Cup in 2010 – the year they won the competition.
In yesterday’s match, Croatian Mateo Roskam gave Sime Darby the lead in the 27th minute, but their joy was short-lived when Rafizol Roslan equalised for Forces in the 29th minute. Just when the match looked headed for a stalemate, the soldiers added two late goals through Sukri Mat Hamidi (87th) and Khasan Abdukarimov (90+7pen).
Sime Darby played three seasons in the Premier League (2011-2013) before earning promotion to the top flight, where they stayed for two seasons (2014-15).
The Plantation giants created history in 2012 when they became the first club to reach the FA Cup final since the tournament’s inception in 1990. They lost 1-0 to Kelantan in the final.
Bottom-placed Sime Darby will play newly-crowned Premier League champions Malacca in their last game at the Hang Jebat Stadium in Malacca on Oct 21.
Sime Darby, with 11 points, trail 11th-placed UiTM FC by three points while Forces moved up to 10th spot on 15 points.
The other relegation candidate will be known after the last round of matches between Sabah and UiTM in Likas and Forces and Perlis in Selayang – both on Oct 21.