BY NIK AFIQ Follow on Twitter
The round three of the FA Cup saw two Premier League teams outclassing Super League sides, and also wins for tournaments’ favorites such as JDT, Pahang and Kedah.
The only game on friday saw PKNP FC beat fellow Premier League side Kuantan FA in a nine goal thriller, after going up 4-0 only to be rescued by an injury time winner by Shahrel Fikri. Read our full report here.
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On Saturday, the remaining seven matches took place with defending champions JDT leading the way as they brushed aside UiTM FC 4-0. Benjamin Mora named a strong squad, and he was rewarded with a big win with Gonzalo Cabrera scoring twice for the Southern Tigers, and a goal each by Hazwan Bakri and Fadhli Shas. Hazwan and Fadhli are the only the two JDT players to have received the latest call-up by Malaysia head coach Dato' Ong Kim Swee, and the sight of both of them scoring should be a good sign for the Harimau Malaysia.
JDT vs UiTM match highlights
MSL leaders, Kedah also advanced to the next round after they defeated Perak’s Mehmet Durakovic 2-0 away from home. Tan Cheng Hoe’s men continued their exceptional run as their two foreign players, Zac Anderson and Ken Ilso both scored to compound the Bos Gaurus' woes, ever since former head coach Karl-Heinz Weigang was sacked late last month.
Goals scored in the Perak-Kedah match
Tan wants to avoid JDT in next round
Another fixture involving MSL teams the in-form Pahang defeating Melaka United 2-0. Jae Won scored from the spot in the first half after a Melaka player handled the ball in the penalty area, before Nor Azam Abdul Azih sealed the win in the 86th minute for the Elephants.
In Kangar, the home team could not take the advantage of their home advantage as Perlis bowed out of the competition in a 2-1 defeat to Sarawak. Sarawak took a 2-0 lead in the first half through Abdul Rahman and Mark Hartmann, while Perlis’ consolation goal was scored by Oh Kyu-bin right after the second half resumed. Sarawak held on for the win, and will advance to the quarter-finals, together with another East Malaysia side Sabah.
Sabah were made to work hard before they edge the remaining FAM League side, MOF FC 4-2 and advance to the next round. Rahman Shah gave the Rhinos an early lead in the fourth minute, but Mohd Farizal and Aikal responded with a goal each to give MOF FC a 2-1 lead. Rahman once again found the back of the net to level the scoreline in the final seconds of the first half, and Ummareng Bacok and Sofiane Choubani scored in the second half to give Sabah the win.
Photos from the Sabah-MOF match
The two biggest story of the round are the wins by two Premier League sides over MSL sides.
Premier League leaders, Negeri Sembilan knocked out MSL strugglers Pulau Pinang in extra-time, with Lee Tuck scoring a hat-trick for the the Deers. Here is the full report on Negeri Sembilan's win.
Negeri Sembilan vs Pulau Pinang highlights
Meanwhile, a clash between two Terengganu-based side, Terengganu and T-Team FC saw the Turtles edge out the Titans 1-0 in Kuala Terengganu. Both teams failed to find the back of the net in normal time, but a header from Lutfulla Turaev in the final minute of the extra time gave Terengganu the win and a spot in the quarter-finals.
Terengganu's winning goal
In the end, four Premier League teams and four Super League teams have advanced to the quarter-final stage.
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