KUALA LUMPUR: Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) reclaimed their top spot in the Super League after edging Negri Sembilan 1-0 at the Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium in Paroi today.
Premier League champions Negri managed to raise their game to match JDT in a cagey match even without their towering French centreback Herold Goulon who was injured.
The Deer goalkeeper Ahmad Syihan Hazmi Mohamed was in his element to keep the JDT strikeforce of Bergson da Silva, Fernando Forestieri and Arif Aiman Hanapi at bay till the 90th minute.
Referee Muhammad Nazmi Nasaruddin's decision to add 10 minutes to the match saw both teams playing end-to-end football.
However, Negri striker Kossi Adetu's failure to score, after being set up nicely by A. Selvan, turned out to be costly after Forestieri struck the winner from a counter-attack with the last kick of the ball.
The win propelled the Southern Tigers to the top of the 12-team table with 15 points from five matches while Negri are second with 14 points from seven matches.
At the Darulmakmur Stadium, visitors Sarawak United edged 10-man Sri Pahang 2-1 to move away from the relegation zone.
Pahang found themselves in trouble after centreback Muslim Ahmad was sent off in the 41st minute by referee Mohd Kamil Zakaria Ismail for tackling Francis Kone from behind.
Despite being a man down, the Elephants took the lead through Manuel Hidalgo in the fourth minute of added time in the first half.
However, the Golden Hornbill used their numerical advantage to equalise in the 55th minute through a deflected shot by Nur Shamie Iszuan Amin.
Nigerian striker Uche Agba sealed the three points for Sarawak when he converted a penalty kick in the 73rd minute after R. Gopinathan was felled inside the box by Ashar Al Aafiz Abdullah.
The win moved Sarawak away from the relegation zone to 10th position with seven points from seven matches.