Johor Darul Ta’Zim were made to work hard before sealing a pulsating 5-3 victory over Negeri Sembilan FC in their second Liga Super Malaysia 2025/26 clash on Tuesday night at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium, Iskandar Puteri.
Fresh from lifting the Piala Sumbangsih last Friday with a win over Selangor, the Southern Tigers faced a shock early on when Negeri Sembilan struck twice in quick succession — Joseph Esso netting in the 8th minute followed by Jovan Motika in the 12th, leaving the home crowd stunned.
Shaken but unfazed, JDT responded with relentless pressure. Jon Irazabal headed in from an Arif Aiman corner in the 38th minute to halve the deficit. Just four minutes later, Joao Figueiredo pounced on a defensive error to level the score 2-2 before halftime.
The second half saw JDT complete their comeback in emphatic fashion. Irazabal’s second goal in the 57th minute and an Arif Aiman strike two minutes later put the hosts 4-2 ahead. Negeri Sembilan refused to fold, as Motika scored again in the 60th minute to make it 4-3 and keep the visitors in the hunt.
However, Bergson delivered the knockout blow in the dying moments, sealing the 5-3 win for the reigning champions.
Credit Photo : JST
