IT was a night to remember for Pahang’s Matias Conti at Darulmakmur Stadium in Kuantan yesterday.
The Argentine completed a first half hat-trick as Pahang thrashed Kedah 5-0 for a 6-3 aggregate win over the Premier League outfit to reach their second successive Malaysia Cup final.
The win over Kedah is also a fitting birthday gift for the Sultan of Pahang, Sultan Ahmad Shah, who turned 84 yesterday.
Conti, 24, was Pahang’s hero in last year’s final when he netted in the 1-0 win over Kelantan. And he will have the chance of doing it again at the National Stadium on Nov 1, where the east coast side will bid for their second title of the season after the FA Cup.
Leading 3-1 from the semi-final first leg in Alor Star, Kedah were far from their best as the former winners failed to settle down, allowing the defending champions to dominate from start to finish.
Cheered on by 35,000-odd fans, Pahang pressed forward and earned their first corner kick, which resulted in their first goal, after winger R. Gopinathan’s cross was cleared by a Kedah defender.
Midfielder Azidan Sarudin floated his corner kick into the box and an unmarked Conti headed the ball past Kedah goalkeeper Saiful Amar Sudar in the fourth minute.
Kedah had to make an early substitution, bringing on Khyril Muhymeen Zambri for the injured Korean Namkung Woong in the 10th minute. Lacking a strong presence in midfield, Kedah failed to cope without Namkung and struggled to contain Pahang.
Two minutes later, Conti almost scored again but his shot was saved by keeper Saiful before midfielder Faizol Hussain, off a Dickson Nwakaeme pass, missed from close range after his shot was blocked by a sea of Kedah legs in the 14th minute.
Pahang continued to dominate and almost added a second through Dickson when the Nigerian found space in the Kedah box only to curl the ball inches off the far post in the 20th minute.
But Pahang were not to be denied, scoring three goals in an 11-minute spell, against a crumbling Kedah defence.
Gopinathan earned a delightful Deepavali gift when he steered in an Azamuddin Akil’s cross from the right for Pahang’s second goal in the 26th minute.
Three minutes later, Azamuddin turned provider again when his low cross was met by Conti who easily found the net to give the homesters a 3-0 lead. It was Conti’s fifth goal in the competition.
The weak Kedah defence fell apart again by conceding a fourth goal. Conti scored his third with a thunderous strike just inside the box after receiving the ball from Nwakaeme in the 37th minute.
In the second half, Kedah tested Pahang goalkeeper Khairul Azhan Khalid through Baddrol Baktiar’s free kick but the winger’s goal-bound attempt was blocked by the third-choice international custodian in the 50th minute.
But Pahang went full throttle again with Faizol and Nwakaeme testing the Kedah defence with their goal-bound attempts only to be denied by keeper Saiful in the 56th and 65th minutes.
Gopinathan netted his second of the night with a solo effort in the 74th minute for the goal of the match. It was heartbreaking for Kedah but good experience for their young players who fought bravely.