KUALA LUMPUR: Darul Ta'zim were knocked off their Super League perch, but only, just after suffering their heaviest defeat in two years as Kelantan ran riot to win 4-1 in Kota Baru on Saturday.
Pahang took over top spot, but on only because they have scored more goals than Darul Ta'zim, after a 1-1 draw with Perak in Ipoh put them level on 43 points and on goal difference.
Meanwhile, Sime Darby were relegated after a 1-1 draw with Police having spent two seasons in the top-flight.
Gilmar Jose Da Silva Filho marked his return from injury with two goals for Kelantan, who also ended Darul Ta'zim's 10-match unbeaten run in the league and handed Mario Gomez his first defeat since replacing Bojan Hodak as the defending champions' coach.
Darul Ta'zim were 2-0 down inside 15 minutes when Da Silva opened scoring in the fourth minute before Badhri Radzi converted a contentious penalty.
After Mahalli Jasuli gave Darul Ta'zim a lifeline early in the second half, Norfarhan Muhammad and Da Silva scored two more goals in a victory which did not entirely flatter Kelantan.
Da Silva then put the seal on Kelantan's win with a 83rd-minute pile-driver from Norfarhan's lob to hand Darul Ta'zim their heaviest defeat since the 2013 Malaysia Cup when ironically it was Kelantan who dealt them a 6-1 defeat in Kota Baru.
In Ipoh, Hafiz Kamal put Pahang ahead in the 32nd minute with a sweet left-footed free-kick which found the top near corner of the net with Perak goalkeeper Zamir Selamat well beaten.
Just after half-time, Pahang's Dickson Nwakaeme had a goal disallowed for handling the ball before Bobby Gonzales drove in the equaliser for Perak in the 69th minute.
A breath-taking goal by Khairul Nizam Kamal two minutes from time preserved LionsXII's unbeaten record at Jalan Besar this season after a 1-1 draw with Selangor.
Afiq Azmi had headed Selangor ahead in the 58th minute from Bunyamin Umar's cross but Nizam then produced an exquisite scissor-kick from Faris Ramli's ball for the equaliser just moments after Nazrul Nazari had hit the post.
LionsXII coach Fandi Ahmad said: "Selangor came here with a mission and had ten players behind the ball. They made it difficult for us."
Ndumba Makeche pounced on a poor back-pass by Ahmad Nordin Alias on the hour as Felda United ended Terengganu's six-match winning run with a 1-0 triumph in Selayang.
Sime Darby held out for a 1-1 draw with Police in Shah Alam after Nizad Ayub's 89th-minute goal cancelled Dramane Traore's opener in the 20th minute but it was not enough to save themselves.
Sarawak's Tommy Mawat made a dream senior team debut when his goal, just a minute after coming off the bench in the 53rd minute, earned his side a precious point against relegation rivals Armed Forces in Paroi.
Abdulafees Abdulrahman had put Forces ahead in the sixth minute but they are now five points adrift of safety with just two matches left.
The Public Service Commission's relegation from the Premier League was also confirmed after a 1-1 draw with Kuantan at the UiTM Stadium in Shah Alam.
Malacca edged closer to ending a five-year stay in the FAM League after beating Ipoh 1-0 at the Hang Jebat Stadium thanks to Nurshamil Abdul Ghani's 48th-minute goal stay top of Group B.
They only need a point from their final game next week to secure a return to the Premier League.