The 27th edition of the Malaysia FA Cup campaign will come to an end when Johor Darul Ta’azim (JDT) face minnows PKNS FC in the final at the Shah Alam Stadium on Saturday.
The Southern Tigers will be looking to clinch their second only FA Cup title after winning it as Johor Football Association (JFA) in 1998, whereas Premier League side PKNS FC will be out to make history after qualifying for the final of the Superbest Power FA Cup for the first time.
FourthOfficial.com will map both teams’ road to Shah Alam.
The Johor Darul Ta’azim road
Second round (February 19): UiTM 0-5 Johor Darul Ta’azim — UiTM Stadium
Third round (March 4): Johor Darul Ta’azim 4-1 Negeri Sembilan — Larkin Stadium
Quarter final first-leg (March 19): PDRM 0-1 Johor Darul Ta’azim — Hang Jebat Stadium
Quarter final second-leg (April 2): Johor Darul Ta’azim 5-2 PDRM — Larkin Stadium
Semi final first-leg (April 16): Kedah 2-1 Johor Darul Ta’azim — Darul Aman Stadium
Semi final second-leg (April 30): Johor Darul Ta’azim 3-1 Kedah — Larkin Stadium
The Southern Tigers kicked off their FA Campaign against Premier League side UiTM FC in Shah Alam and dismantled the university team 5-0 courtesy of a brace from S. Chanturu and a goal each from Amri Yahyah, Amirulhadi Zainal and Jorge Pereyra Diaz. Juan Martin Lucero could have added a sixth goal but his last-minute penalty was saved by Pavel Matiash.
Mario Gomez’s side then faced Negeri Sembilan in the third round in Johor Bahru and the 2013 FA Cup runner-up eased to a 4-1 win over Gary Michael Phillips’ young team. Jorge Pereyra Diaz continued his fine form by adding a brace, after Azniee Taib and skipper of the night Amri Yahyah comfortably slotted it home from the penalty spot on the tenth minute.
Johor Darul Ta’azim then ran riot over PDRM in the quarter-final after clinching a 6-2 win after both legs. Juan Martin Lucero scored the only goal in the first leg in Malacca before securing a spot in the semi-final through Jorge Pereyra Diaz’s brace and a goal each from Safiq Rahim, Azniee Taib and Juan Martin Lucero helped them to a 5-2 win on home soil.
They lost their first game of the season after going down 2-1 in the semi-final first leg match in Kedah but bounced back and eliminated Tan Cheng Hoe’s side after a 3-1 win in Larkin. Juan Martin Lucero scored in the defeat as well as in the return leg, and Jorge Pereyra’s Diaz brace and last minute goal ensured them a place in the final of the Superbest Power FA Cup.
The PKNS road
Second round (February 19): PKNS 3-1 Terengganu — Hang Jebat Stadium
Third round (March 5): PKNS 3-2 FELDA United — Hang Jebat Stadium
Quarter final first-leg (March 19): Sime Darby 0-4 PKNS — Selayang Stadium
Quarter final second-leg (April 1): PKNS 3-2 Sime Darby — Hang Jebat Stadium
Semi final first-leg (April 15): PKNS 2-2 Perak — Hang Jebat Stadium
Semi final second-leg (April 30): Perak 1-2 PKNS — Perak Stadium
PKNS began their campaign with a surprising result over Malaysia Super League (MSL) side Terengganu after goals from Matias Jadue, Gonzalo Soto and Gabriel Guerra helped them to a 3-1 win in Malacca. E. Elavarasan’s men then eliminated league leaders FELDA United in the third round through goals from Gabriel Guerra, Matias Jadue and Syamsul Bahri.
The Red Ants qualified for the semi-final after dismantling Sime Darby 7-2 on aggregate. Juan Manuel Cobelli scored twice and Matias Jadue and Syamsul Bahri got a goal of their own in the first leg match in Selangor before the Argentinian forward bagged another brace in the return leg, with the other goal for the home side coming through Ahmad Shakir.
The 2011 Premier League champions shocked the country when they booked a place in the final after defeating Perak 4-3 after two legs. Gabriel Guerra scored two goals in the first leg draw at home whereas goals Matias Jadue and Juan Manuel Cobelli won them the encounter.
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