Negri win it in style

2009/11/08

Devinder Singh

NEGRI Sembilan ended a 61-year wait in emphatic fashion as they trounced Kelantan 3-1 in an explosive Malaysia Cup final at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

Shahurain Abu Samah, Hairuddin Omar and Zaquan Adha Radzak scored off a dominant Negri performance in front of a capacity crowd of 85,000 fans to win their first Malaysia Cup title since 1948.

Kelantan's insipid display left them searching for their first major trophy in history as they fell at the last hurdle for the second time this season after losing in the FA Cup final earlier this year.

The opening exchanges were unremarkable with neither goalkeepers tested and it took an error by a Kelantan player to bring the final to life.

Young leftback Zamri Ramli's failure to stop the ball cleanly saw Shahurain unleashing an unstoppable strike past goalkeeper Halim Napi in the 18th minute.

That was the cue for Negri to continue pressing against an unusually nervy Kelantan with Hairuddin, the livewire in the Negri side, going close twice in the next few minutes.

Negri Sembilan’s Mohd Zaquan Adha (in yellow) goes past Kelantan’s Mohd Zamri Ramli (left) and Mohd Daudsu Jamaluddin. — Pic: MOHD YUSNI ARIFFIN

His attempted pull back from the by-line was nearly turned into goal by a back-tracking Kelantan defender and his header from the resulting corner needed a firm hand by Halim.

Kelantan managed a response in the 24th minute through the uninspired Indra Putra Mahayuddin, who saw his shot from inside the box smothered by on-rushing Negri keeper Farizal Harun.

That was the only bit of action Farizal saw in the first 45 minutes as Negri continued to dictate play with Hairuddin, on loan from Kuala Terengganu T-Team, again foiled by Halim with an attempt from outside the penalty area in the 39th minute.

Niggling fouls by Negri players appeared to knock Kelantan off their stride although referee Yusof Mat Karim did not hesitate in cautioning Negri's Idris Karim and Alif Samsudin for wild lunges.

As half-time approached, Hairuddin, who could have easily had a hat-trick in the opening period, headed S. Kunanlan's cross just wide before getting a touch unlucky when Zaquan's pass hit his shins as the ball trickled agonisingly wide past a wrong-footed Halim.

Kelantan coach B. Sathianathan brought in the big guns Khalid Jamlus and Che Hishamuddin Hassan for the ineffective Nizad Ayub and Norhisham Hassan but barely 20 seconds had past when they found themselves 2-0 down.

Hairuddin did not need long to get his reward for his persistence as he ghosted past a static Negri defence to head home Zaquan's floated cross with Halim rooted to the spot.

The pressure appeared to be getting to Kelantan as Indra was booked for a wild tackle on Zaquan and was lucky to remain on the pitch when his two-footed tackle on Idris went unpunished.

Worse was to follow when Zamri was at fault again for conceding a penalty by hauling Shahurain down in the box which earned him a yellow card on 59 minutes.

Zaquan coolly placed the spot kick to Halim's left to give Negri an impregnable 3-0 lead.

With Negri seemingly comfortable on the draw, the rest of the match was reduced to a sideshow.

Indra scored off a a fine freekick deep into injury time but it was little consolation for Kelantan.