Timesport previews today's Terengganu-JDT and KL City-Melaka United showdowns.
TERENGGANU v JDT
LEADING SCORERS
Faisal Halim (Terengganu) — 6 goals
Bergson da Silva (JDT) — 4 goals
The east coast monsoon is blowing strong, but in its way is the immovable object. Terengganu are on the rise but Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) are up to the challenge.
The free-scoring Turtles are the most exciting side to watch in the Malaysia Cup, plundering an amazing 22 goals in eight matches.
Even JDT can't produce that many goals in this competition.
Central to Terengganu's ferocious attack is the fiery form of Faisal Halim who has six goals under his belt.
The diminutive midfielder was commanding in the quarter-final second leg against Sarawak United, and conjured a goal in their 4-2 win. Terengganu won big, 6-3 on aggregate, with Faisal playing no small role.
Terengganu coach Nafuzi Zain has blended his team's young guns and battle-hardened veterans into a formidable unit. Their depth is another major strength.
Hungry for success, the Turtles are physically and mentally ready.
And Terengganu are determined to go all the way in the Malaysia Cup after a not-so-rewarding fourth placing in the Super League.
JDT have good reason to be wary of the Turtles, and it can be a case of once bitten twice shy.
Terengganu were the team that knocked out the mighty Johor side at the same stage of the competition with a 3-2 aggregate win in 2018. On top of that, Terengganu inflicted on JDT their only defeat this season, with a 1-0 victory at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in the Super League.
However, any team facing Super League champions JDT, will know they have an uphill task. So no argument if JDT want to play favourites against Terengganu today.
JDT's feared strikeforce has won them a lot of matches, but it is their steely defence that has been a major factor in their league dominance.
The Southern Tigers have let in only one goal in the Malaysia Cup and nine in the Super League for a remarkable defensive record.
JDT coach Benjamin Mora has turned his star-studded squad into a well-oiled machine while handling the big egos in the changing room as well. His organisational skill will be the key against an enterprising Terengganu.
JDT's quarter-final win over Super League runners-up Kedah (1-0 aggregate) saw wonder kid Aiman Arif Hanapi scoring the winner in the second leg.
A win is always expected of JDT, but their goals seem to be drying up in the quarter-finals. And this has raised questions about their players' form.
JDT strikers, who had to play extra matches, due to the Asian Champions League, seem to be tiring in the Malaysia Cup.
However, JDT still have plenty of depth, and with players' contract extensions on the line at the tail-end of the season, they are expected to raise their game.
Brazilian striker Bergson Da Silva, Argentine midfielders Leandro Velazquez and Gonzalo Cabrera are lethal weapons that can turn matches in any split second.
Though playing away, JDT want to end the tie in the first leg itself at Sultan Mizan Stadium today with a good score. But the Turtles want to be the ones that win the race in the end - after the second leg on Friday.
KL CITY v MELAKA UTD
LEADING SCORERS
Romel Morales (KL City) — 10 goals
Sony Norde (Melaka Utd) — 5 goals
This is the clash of the underdogs, between two teams who have "surprisingly" reached the Malaysia Cup semi-finals.
Both KL City and Melaka United are a revelation in this cup competition, shedding their sluggish league form.
KL made their return to the Super League this year after winning promotion with a third place in the Premier League.
The City Boys have turned out to be a solid outfit under coach Bojan Hodak. Coupled with the Croatian's crafty tactics, KL have gone on a superb run in the Malaysia Cup.
For KL, it's a case of when the going gets tough, they get going. They lost defenders Irfan Zakaria and Nik Shahrul Azim Halim through injuries during the crucial part of their Malaysia Cup campaign but midfielder D. Kenny Palraj stepped in as KL kept three clean sheets.
And when KL lost strikers Dominique Da Sylva and Kyrian Nwabueze to injuries, skipper Paulo Josue and Romel Morales were there to provide the firepower.
Colombian Morales notched his 10th Malaysia Cup goal in the quarter-final second leg against Selangor. KL won 1-0 win and extended their unbeaten record at their Cheras home to 20 matches since 2019.
KL, who won the Malaysia Cup for three consecutive years (1987-1989) are now appearing in their first semi-final in 29 years.
The gritty City side look potent and certainly have what it takes to reach the final.
Melaka are like Jekyll and Hyde, the Mousedeer timid for much of the Super League season but turning into tigers in the Malaysia Cup.
Everything started to click for them in the Malaysia Cup as Melaka went on to become among the early teams to qualify for the last eight.
And the Hang Jebat boys were simply unbeatable in all their eight Malaysia Cup matches so far. So here they are, in their first Malaysia Cup semi-final in 38 years after a 3-1 aggregate win over Sabah in the last eight.
Zainal Abidin Hassan's team are on a goals rampage in the Malaysia Cup, scoring 18 goals with Haitian hitman Sony Norde bagging five and Philippines midfielder Manny Ott scoring four.
And the unsung hero in the team, veteran goalkeeper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat, brilliantly marshalled the backline.
The clash between the two underdogs will be a fierce one, and both are in the mood to bite.