KUALA LUMPUR: Penang is on the brink of being relegated from the Malaysia Super League with Sarawak joining them after both teams suffered demoralising defeats on Wednesday.
As Johor Darul Ta'zim were presented with a new Super League trophy after securing the title long ago, the battle to avoid the drop to the Premier League took centre stage with Penang, Sarawak and Kelantan coming off worse.
Bottom side Penang are six points from safety with just two matches remaining after slumping to a 2-0 home defeat to Kuala Terengganu T-Team, who pulled five points clear of the drop zone thanks to goals by Fauzi Abdul Kadar and Asrol Ibrahim at the City Stadium in Georgetown.
Sarawak and Kelantan, with 17 and 18 points respectively, both crashed to 3-0 away defeats against Pahang and Darul Ta'zim respectively to remain in serious danger of demotion.
Khairul Fahmi Che Mat saved Mohammed Ghaddar's penalty in the 10th minute to signal that Kelantan will not go down without a fight at Larkin only for Darul Ta'zim to put the ball past the goalkeeper 10 minutes later.
Safiq Rahim played a free-kick out wide to right-back S. Kunanlan, whose intended cross instead looped over Khairul Fahmi, who appeared to be caught unawares.
Darul Ta'zim celebrated lifting the sparkling Super League trophy after the final whistle but not before Gonzalo Cabrera and Safiq, with a teasing free-kick, added to the score.
Pahang rested a number of key players yet proved too strong for Sarawak in Kuantan as Christie Jayaseelan scored twice after Kogileswaren Raj had bagged the opener with all the goals coming before the break.
After reinstalling Adam Abdullah as caretaker coach, PKNS edged Selangor 2-1 in Selayang to secure their top-flight survival.
Patrick Wleh turned the match winner in the 64th minute after Selangor's Rufino Segovia had cancelled Shahrul Azhar Ture's 25th minute opener for PKNS.
Melaka also took a step towards safety as they moved up to ninth, four points ahead of 11th placed Sarawak, after beating Perak 3-1 at the Hang Jebat Stadium.
Marko Simic, Jeon Woo-young and Felipe De Souza struck for Melaka with Shahrul Saad replying for Perak.
Felda United bounced back from a 3-1 defeat to Perak SEDC in the Malaysia Cup last weekend to upset Kedah by the same score in Alor Star.
Wan Zack Haikal Wan Nor scored twice from free-kicks to set Felda on their way to three points as Kedah slipped to third behind Pahang.