JOHOR BAHRU, 4 Sept – It was a nightmare for Perak rookie, goalkeeper Nasrullah Abdul Aziz as six-time champions Johor Darul Takzim (JDT) tightened their grip at the top of the table with a massive 7-0 whitewash in Super League match at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri.
It was the biggest win in the Super League so far this season and with that JDT also kept their unbeaten record at their new stadium with world-class facilities.
The night belonged to JDT’s Argentine hitman Gonzalo Cabrera who plundered a grand hat-trick with goals in the 36th, 45th (penalty), and 63rd minute after Afiq Fazail (pic) opened the flood gates in the 22nd minutes.
Perak, who came without four key players – either out with injuries and suspension – started on equal footing matching the Southern Tigers and even showed early promise. However, all that crumbled after Afiq’s opener.
The homesters took a healthy 4-0 at the half-time break when Ramadhan Saifullah, playing only his second match with the senior side, scored again in injury time before the break. The JDT II player also scored a goal in JDT’s 3-2 win over Pahang in Kuantan last week.
International Safawi Rasid, who is set to join a club in Portugal next year, added his name into the scoresheet with a 79th-minute strike before Akhyar Rashid completed the rout in the 84th minute.
“It was simply a bad night for us,” said Perak coach Mehmet Durakovic, adding that “Nasrullah will have to learn from his mistakes” and come back stronger.
For the Bos Gauros, it was their second defeat on the trot after a 1-0 defeat to Melaka in Ipoh last week.
JDT remained on the top of the league with 16 points from six matches while Terengganu remained in the second spot despite a 1-0 defeat to Melaka at the Hang Jebat Stadium.
Nigerian Uche Agba scored the winner on the hour mark from a cross by Norde Sony to take Melaka to the third spot with nine points on goal difference. Selangor is also on nine points after a 2-1 win over Sabah at the Likas Stadium in Kota Kinabalu.
Perak, after the big defeat, is fifth in the league standings with eight points.
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