KUALA LUMPUR: Selangor cruised into their second consecutive Malaysia Cup final after they defeated T-Team 3-0 in the semi-final return leg today to qualify on a 5-1 aggregate.
The defending champions will face Kedah in a repeat final on Oct 30 at Shah Alam Stadium.
Terengganu fans were enthusiastic as tickets for the match in the 12,000-capacity Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah Stadium in Kuala Terengganu were sold out an hour after the counters were opened.
They were hoping T-Team would become the first Terengganu side to make it to the finals since 2011.
But Selangor, who may have internal issues since the beginning of the season, had other ideas as K. Gunalan’s strategy to attack from the start paid dividends, ensuring his team a shot at winning the Malaysia Cup for a record of 34 times.
The suspension of centre-back Abdoulaye Maiga was the telling factor as Selangor took advantage of his absence with a goal in the third minute.
Captain Andik Vermansyah’s cross from the right took a slight deflection off teammate Patrick Wleh for R. Gopinathan to race ahead and score from close range past T-Team goalkeeper Ilham Amirullah Razali.
T-Team’s weak defence was exploited again in the 19th minute. Wleh’s grounder, off corner, was parried by keeper Ilham onto the path of Nigerian Ugo Ukah who slotted home the second goal for the visitors.
The setback did not deter T-Team as they patiently worked their way back into the game to dictate the pace and create chances.
However, Selangor keeper Khairulazhan Khalid was in his top fom, denying a long range attempt by Kamal Azizi Zabri in the 28th minute and also thwarted T-Team’s threatening crosses into his penalty box on several occasions.
T-Team coach Rahmad Darmawan took off winger Badrul Hisham Morris to introduce former international Izzaq Faris Ramlan in the 43rd minute in hope to improve his team’s fortunes.
In the 50th minute, a good build up play presented T-Team’s Asrol Ibrahim space at the top of the box but he shot over the Selangor crossbar.
Gopinathan could have ended the night with a hat-trick had he was sharper in the 54th and 72nd minutes. Both attempts from the winger were blocked by T-Team keeper Ilham.
Andik extended Selangor’s lead with a solo effort in the second minute of stoppage time. T-Team controlled the second half but they could not translate it to goals.
It will be Selangor’s 49th appearance in the Malaysia Cup final since its inception in 1921.