KUALA LUMPUR: Sri Pahang eked out a 1-0 win over Perak in the first leg of the Malaysia Cup quarter-finals on Saturday, but coach Fandi Ahmad warned his players against complacency ahead of the return leg.
The match, held at the Manjung Municipal Council Stadium, was decided by a 23rd-minute goal from forward Kpah Sherman.
While pleased with the result, Fandi stressed the importance of staying focused for the Dec 22 return leg at Temerloh Stadium.
"We're grateful for the win, but we could have scored more, especially in the first half," said Fandi.
"The second leg in Temerloh will be a different challenge. Perak are a strong side with great team spirit. We must stay vigilant and avoid complacency."
Perak, despite controlling the second half and creating several chances, failed to find the back of the net.
However, coach Yusri Che Lah remains optimistic about their chances in the return leg.
"We had plenty of opportunities and controlled the second half, but we couldn't finish. Pahang punished us on the counterattack," said Yusri.
"We accept the defeat, but there's still 90 minutes to play. We'll regroup and come back stronger in Temerloh."