KUALA LUMPUR: Fifa Puskas Award winner Faiz Subri ended his year-long goal drought but could not prevent Penang from going down 3-1 to Super League leaders Kedah in Alor Star on Saturday.
Kedah recovered from going behind to Faiz's first goal since Feb 16 last year to score through Fitri Omar, Syafiq Ahmad and Liridon Krasniqi at the Darulaman Stadium to preserve their one-point lead over Pahang at the top of the standings.
Pahang won 3-1 against Malacca at the Hang Jebat Stadium while Perak slipped to fourth after blowing a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 against Felda United in Jengka.
Selangor moved past Perak on goal difference with a 2-0 win over Kelantan, who slumped to a third successive defeat in Kota Baru, after Juliano Mineiro scored in each half.
Defending champions Johor Darul Ta'zim moved up from 10th to fifth after Gabriel Guerra struck a first-half hat-trick to beat Kuala Terengganu T-Team 3-0 at Larkin.
It was Argentine Guerra's first goals in the Super League since his transfer earlier this month from Premier League side Darul Ta'zim II where he scored five times.
Faiz, making his first start since Penang's opening game of the year, netted at the end of a counter-attack to finally end his goal drought but Kedah were level almost immediately through Fitri's goal against his former team.
Syafiq and Krasniqi added goals in the final 15 minutes to ensure Kedah extended their unbeaten record to 18 matches since August last year while Penang suffered their sixth straight defeat in as many matches to remain bottom of the Super League. The win was also Kedah's first over Penang in eight meetings since 2010.
Pahang ran rampant over Malacca as Joseph Kalang Tie lashed home a left-footed shot from outside the box in the 21st minute for the opening goal after skipping past Malacca left-back G. Puaneswaran to move into acres of space.
Matheus Alves got in between Malacca's two centre-backs to head in a Matthew Davies cross to put Pahang 2-0 ahead two minutes before the break for his league-leading fifth goal.
Mohamadou Sumareh galloped clear of Malacca's defence to slot in Pahang's third in the 57th minute before Ahmad Khuzaimie Piee pulled one back for the hosts in the final minute.
Kelantan fell to a third straight home defeat as Mineiro stabbed home in the fourth minute at the second attempt after his initial effort from S. Veenod's cut-back was blocked before firing in his second 60 minutes later.
Perak coach Mehmet Durakovic appeared headed for a winning start since replacing Karl Heinz-Weigang after goals by Hafiz Kamal and Zaquan Adha Radzak put them 2-0 up in Jengka only for Norshahrul Idlan Talaha and Lucas Cano to score within a minute of each other midway through the second half in B. Sathianathan's first game in charge of Felda.
In the evening kick-off, Sarawak edged PKNS 3-2 in Shah Alam for their second away win in a row.