Pahang shrugged off their bitter FA Cup disappointment by beating sorry 10-men Selangor 2-0 away.
It took them until quite late in the second half for Matheus Alves to score both of their goals to come away with the three points. The win also ruined Andik Vermansyah and Amri Yahyah’s return to the Selangor side, although they did get applauded when their names were announced in the starting line-up.
In the first half though, both sides showed plenty of energy moving around with the ball, but they are not able to find the net. But two of the best chances fell to Matheus.
First, the Brazilian let his shot fly from the right outside the box and it went just wide of Mohd Khairulazhan’s left post after 32 minutes.
Five minutes later, Matheus picks up a through ball on the left and a vital touch from Ugo Ukah prevented the ball from going in, although the referee awarded a goal-kick.
When the second-half started, Selangor could’ve taken the lead when Francis Forkey Doe received Juliano Mineiro’s chipped through pass on the left. But the Liberian took one touch too many to control the ball and it allowed Wan Azraie to come out and made a point-blank save.
Since then, it was almost all Pahang with their direct and fast attacks causing so much trouble to a passive Selangor side and they could’ve gotten the lead had it not for astute defending.
On the 70th minute, Forkey Doe spurned another chance. Mineiro again became the provider when he crossed the ball in from the left. Forkey Doe somehow messed up his header despite being unmarked.
It proved to be costly. Three minutes later, captain Matt Davies crossed the ball in from the right and Matheus this time scored after rising highest to head the ball in past a despairing Khairulazhan.
Eight minutes later, the Selangor defense made Mohamadou Sumareh look like Lionel Messi. Five defenders were on Sumareh by the left side of the box. The Gambian international got away with it by running to the centre just outside the box. Once he saw sees Matheus coming in, he passes the ball to the Brazilian striker and he strikes it with finesse to double the lead.
But it wasn’t the last notable highlight. Five minutes later, Abdul Halim Zainal. who came on as substitute for Andik on 65 minutes, was shown a straight red card much to his shock for allegedly having his studs up on Sumareh’s shin when looking to dispossess him of the ball.
The red card was rubbing more salt on Selangor’s wounds as Pahang came out deserved winners.
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