Terengganu are through to the semi-finals of the FA Cup after sealing a 3-1 victory on aggregate over Datuk M. Karathu’s Perak side.
Having drawn the first 1-1, Terengganu traveled to Ipoh, knowing that they had an uphill task ahead of them. But they certainly remained confident, following their recent 3-2 victory on the same ground, during their Super League clash.
Either way, Terengganu were off to a good start, spreading the ball around confidently, while planning their attacks meticulously. Chad Souza almost scored for Perak on the 15th minute, against the run of play, but his header was saved by the Terengganu goalkeeper.
But moments later, the Turtles got their breakthrough as Paulo Rangel headed home, against his ex-team, to put Abdul Rahman Ibrahim’s side ahead. Despite Perak’s best efforts, they could not find the back of the net as the game went into half time with Terengganu being in the driving seat.
Coach Karathu swapped Arif Ismail for the more energetic Norhakim Isa, and the move brought some much-needed impetus into the team. Terengganu though, were incredibly disciplined at the back and barely allowed any form of offensive penetration.
On the 56th minute, a deafening silence broke around the ground as Issey Nakajima opened his account for Terengganu with a fine finish. Perak responded by throwing in Bobby Gonzales, knowing that they had to score three goals to claim a win in this one.
But as the match progressed, the tempo visibly slowed down and Terengganu were more than happy to sit back and protect their lead, which eventually booked their spot in the last four of the competition.
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