Negri crush Turtles 3-1

Terengganu .... 1
Khairul Izwan Khalid 35th

Negri Sembilan .... 3
Mohd Zaquan Adha Razak 10th, 18th
Hairuddin Omar 45th

KUALA TERENGGANU, (Stadiumastro) - Negri Sembilan proved their superiority over Terengganu for the fourth time in the Malaysia Cup campaign after winning the semi-final second-leg tie 3-1 at Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah Stadium on Saturday.

The Deers deservedly earned their place in the Malaysia Cup final with a 4-1 aggregate victory over the Turtles who were looking vulnerable at the back without the towering presence of team captain Marzuki Yusof who had to serve a one-match ban.

Che Ku Ahmad Rusydi Amir took over the sweeper's role but he came up short on too many occassions when he had to fend off challenges from Negri strikers Mohdd Zaquan Adha Razak, Hairuddin Omar and Shahurain Abu Samah.

Other defenders Muhaimin Omar, Shahrizam Mohamad and Shahrul Ezrain rarely looked comfortable early in the game and they were punished quickly by Zaquan Adha who scored from close range in the 10th minute.

Barely eight minutes later, Zaquan Adha's head connected with Sahhurain's cross and the all flew past the hapless Terengganu goalkeeper Sharbinee Allawee to give Negri a two-goal cushion.

Terengganu tried to get their act together by stringing some passes together and in the 24th minute Khairul Izwan Khalid was just not quick enough to stab the ball into the back of Negri's net.

The loan signing from Felda United came close again in the 34th minute but his long range shot just flew just over the bar.

He was not to be denied a goal in the match when one minute later, his header gave Terengganu a life line.

Negri Sembilan upped the ante by surging forward again and one minute before the break, Shahurain had a chance to further punish Terengganu but his header went wide of the right goal post.

Hairuddin put the game to bed in the injury time of the first half when he managed to shake off challenges from two Terengganu defenders and fired a shot which went beyond the reach of Sarbinee.

Terengganu started after the break determined to score another goal but Negri seemed willing to absorb the pressure while waiting for a chance to launch counter attacks.

In the 69th minute, Shahrul tried an ambitious shot from 40 metre out and he came close enough to force Negri goalkeeper Farizal Harun to make a finger-tip save.

Terengganu ran out of gas soon after but coach Ken Worden did not make any substitution until the 85th minute when Mohd Shazlan Alias made way for Mohd Saufie Hamid.

After the game, Worden who admitted Negri were the better team, said he could not do much with the players on the bench.

Negri coach wan Jamak Wan Hassan said it was a special feeling to be able to win convincingly in Kuala Terengganu.

Ends.