Selangor on a roll, Kedah suffer second straight defeat - Star

Jan 7, 2009 By ERIC SAMUEL

SHAH ALAM: Selangor kept up the momentum to pick up their second straight win when they defeated gutsy Perak 3-1 in a Super League match at the Shah Alam Stadium last night.

After having crushed treble winners Kedah 4-1 at the Darulaman Stadium in Alor Star three days ago to claim the Charity Shield, the Red Giants, playing in front of 15,000 fans in their first home game of the season, came from behind to snatch full points.

Perak had taken the lead through Razali Umar Kandasamy in the 30th minute before Safee Sali equalised a minute later. Selangor then turned on the heat after the breather to pull ahead with goals by Amirulhadi Zainal (63rd) and Mohd Nasriq Baharum (85th).

A two-minute blitz at the half-hour mark produced two goals at both ends.

Perak stunned the homesters with the opening goal through nippy Razali, who beat his marker to hit a stiff shot from the top of the box past a rooted Mohd Hamsani Ahmad.

But Selangor struck back almost instantly with Safee executing a cheeky flick after receiving a through ball from skipper Mohd Amri Yahyah.

In the second half, Amirulhadi, lurking inside the box, scored from close range and Mohd Nariq sealed the match for Selangor with a glancing header off a cross from D. Surendran.

Perak under veteran coach M. Karathu had come with a relatively young side and they did well to contain the more experienced Selangor side.

In Paroi, there was more misery for Kedah, the winners of the Super League, Malaysia Cup and FA Cup titles for the second consecutive time last season. They crashed to their second straight defeat, going down 0-3 to Negri Sembilan.

Former Selangor skipper Mohd Shukor Adan put the Deer in front in the 10th minute before Mohd Zaquan Adha Abdul Razak increased the lead in the 39th minute. And K. Thanaraj added the third goal in the 77th minute.