Perak FC back to edge victory after beating Kuala Lumpur City scoring 2-1 in the Liga Super Malaysia 2024/25 at KLFA Stadium, Cheras.
The match saw tactical adjustments from both sides, with Perak head coach Yusri Che Lah opting to start J. Partiban and goalkeeper Azri Ghani in place of Haqimi Azim Rosli and Hafizul Hakim. Perak, however, were forced to field only three foreign imports following the injury of Adilet Kanyebekov.
From the opening whistle, KL City asserted their dominance with a lively attacking display orchestrated by Paulo Josue, Jovan Motika, and the returning Partiban. Their relentless pressure tested the mettle of Perak’s defense, anchored by national team shot-stopper Haziq Nadzli.
The breakthrough came in the 31st minute when Josue, KL City’s talisman, calmly slotted home Partiban’s clever assist to net his 16th league goal of the season—putting the home side ahead and sending the local supporters into a frenzy.
Rattled but not broken, Perak responded by pushing forward with urgency through Clayton da Silva, Syahmi Shamsudin, and captain Luciano Guaycochea. Yet, their efforts before halftime lacked the clinical edge to break down KL City’s organized backline.
In the second half, Perak’s substitutions proved decisive. The introductions of Wan Zack Haikal, Afif Asyraf, and Farris Izdiham injected new energy into their attack. Wan Zack came close to leveling the score in the 53rd minute, but his attempt was denied by Azri’s alert goalkeeping.
KL City head coach Miroslav Kuljanac made changes of his own, bringing in Sean Giannelli and Arif Shaqirin Suhaimi to reinvigorate his midfield. But the game turned on its head in the 75th minute when a VAR review found Declan Lambert guilty of fouling Nur Azfar Fikri in the box.
Luciano Guaycochea made no mistake from the penalty spot, calmly converting in the 77th minute for his 11th league goal. Just three minutes later, Azfar punished KL City further with a clinical finish to give Perak a 2-1 lead—stunning the home crowd.
Despite a late push from The City Boys, Perak’s defense stood firm to seal a vital three points on the road. The result sees Perak leap to 27 points and seventh in the standings, just one point behind KL City, who remain in sixth with 28 points.
Next up, Perak will host Sri Pahang FC on April 12 in what promises to be another challenging fixture. Meanwhile, KL City will aim to bounce back when they travel north to face Penang FC at Stadium Bandaraya on April 13.
Credit Photo : Perak FC
