KUALA LUMPUR: Johor Darul Ta'zim will meet defending champions Kedah in the Malaysia Cup final on Nov 4 after both came through unscathed in the second leg of the semi-finals on Saturday.
While Darul Ta'zim swept past Perak 3-0 in Johor Baru, two goals by Sandro Mendonca ensured Kedah reached the final for a third consecutive year with a 2-0 win over Felda United in Alor Star.
It is only the second time Darul Ta'zim have made the Malaysia Cup final as two goals by Gonzalo Cabrera and a strike by Gabriel Guerra sealed a 4-1 aggregate triumph.
But the first real threat on goal did not come until after 30 minutes when Guerra forced Perak goalkeeper Hafizul Hakim Khairul Nizam Jothy into a flying save.
Hafizul was called into action again five minutes before half-time when he produced a splendid save to push over an overhead kick by Fadhli Shas and on the stroke of half-time defender Nazirul Naim Che Hashim flung himself into the path of Mohammed Ghaddar's shot to prevent Darul Ta'zim from going ahead.
Early in the second half, Safiq Rahim was twice denied by Hafizul, including from a free-kick, while at the other end Nasir Basharudin tested the reflexes of Darul Ta'zim custodian Izham Tarmizi Roslan.
Hafizul was finally beaten in the 57th minute when Cabrera slotted past him from Guerra's defence-splitting pass for his first goal of the tournament.
Perak had a goal controversially ruled out five minutes later when Zaquan Adha Radzak was adjudged to be offside even though it was Darul Ta'zim right-back S. Kunalan who turned Gilmar Jose Da Silva Filho's cross into goal.
Darul Ta'zim sealed victory 15 minutes from time after a cross-field ball by Afiq Fazail sailed over Nazirul's head, allowing Guerra to score unchallenged, before Cabrera made it 3-0 in the 81st minute from Darren Lok's squared pass.
Kedah advanced past Felda with a 3-1 aggregate success despite having to make three changes from the first leg with midfielder Liridon Krasniqi and defender Khairul Helmi Johari suspended and striker Ken Ilso injured.
Kedah threatened first when Shukor Adan headed away winger Farhan Roslan's curling effort before Syafiq Ahmad's flick trickled across the face of the Felda goal without anyone getting to the ball.
Brazilian forward Mendonca saw a shot just sail over while Felda, with just one change in Norshahrul Idlan Talaha coming in for Daniel Amier Norhisham, struggled to fashion chances.
Wan Zack Haikal Wan Nor almost broke the deadlock for Felda early in the second half but saw his close range shot charged down by Kedah goalkeeper Ifwat Akmal Chek Kassim before a header by Thiago Augusto Fernandes struck the Kedah crossbar.
Mendonca, scorer of Kedah's goal in the first leg, netted his eighth of the competition with fine volley from Syafiq Ahmad's deflected cross before grabbing his tournament-leading ninth goal with a flick over goalkeeper Farizal Harun in the 86th minute.