SELAYANG: Kuala Lumpur held on to the top spot in the Premier League standings after edging Perak State Economic Development Corporation 1-0 at the Selayang Stadium on Friday.
An own goal by Raffi Nagoorgani nine minutes from time settled the encounter between the two rivals for promotion to the Super League.
KL, who had a goal by Guilherme De Paula ruled out for offside in the first half, deserved the win on balance after carving out more opportunities than Perak SEDC.
"We are still top but there are three more matches to play and for sure we hope to stay there and move up to the Super League," said KL coach Fabio Maciel, who along with several of his coaching staff, was involved in a shoving incident with Perak SEDC officials after the final whistle.
"It was a hot-tempered match and I said before it would be a hard game and I was proven right."
The win took KL to 41 points, level with Terengganu, who defeated Kuantan 3-0 away to trail on goal difference.
Negri Sembilan were held by Police 2-2 at Paroi to fall three points behind while Perak SEDC are fourth, a further point adrift.
Kipre Tchetche scored twice for Terengganu in Kuantan before Adib Aizuddin Latif wrapped up the points with the third goal to keep pace with KL.
Police survived a 62nd-minute red card for Khairul Izuan Abdullah to snatch a draw after Shahurain Abu Samah twice pulled them level following goals by Bruno Suzuki Castanheira and Sean Eugene Selvaraj for Negri.
The bottom three teams all lost to leave the relegation situation unchanged after MISC-MIFA went down 2-1 at Johor Darul Ta'zim II in Pasir Gudang, Perlis crashed 3-1 at home to Universiti Teknologi Mara while Sabah defeated bottom side Armed Forces 2-0 in Tanjung Malim.