KUALA LUMPUR, April 2 – The referees have been hogging the spotlight of late in the Malaysian League and the match referee in the Kedah FC – Pahang FC match won by the Red Eagles 3-1 took the limelight at the Darulaman Stadium in Alor Setar on Friday.
In a 50-50 challenge for the ball with Kipre Tchetche, Pahang’s French defender Herold Goulan was given a direct red card in the 17th minute much to the surprise of the Pahang bench.
“That changed the whole scenario for us,” said a disappointed Pahang coach Dollah Salleh. “Despite a man down, we were into the game until an early penalty in the second half took the wind out of us.”
Baddrol Bakthiar opened the scoring for the Red Eagles after 36 minutes but Pahang fought back to equalize through Izzat Che Awang in the 41st minute.
Kedah earned a penalty in the 48th minute when Pahang defender Faisal Rosli fouled Kpah Sherman inside the box. Sherman made no mistake from the spot for Kedah to lead 2-1 before Baddrol got his second on the night in the 71st minute.
At the Sultan Mizan Stadium in Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu FC muffed chances and had to settle for a scoreless draw against Petaling Jaya City FC.
Johor Darul Takzim got back to winning ways with a 3-0 defeat of Melaka United at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri, Johor Bahru. Brazilian forward Bengson da Silva scored a brace with goals in the eighth and 82nd minutes after Adam Nor Azlin opened the floodgates with a header in the fourth minute.
The match also saw the return of a small number of fans under strict SOPs.
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