Selangor FC snatched a dramatic 2-1 away victory over Kelantan TRW in the first leg of their Malaysia Cup 2025/26 Round of 16 clash at Sultan Muhammad IV Stadium, Kota Bharu.
The hosts named Damyan Damyanov in goal, with Azam Azih wearing the captain’s armband and Syafik Ismail leading the attacking line. Selangor, meanwhile, entrusted Kalamullah Al-Hafiz between the posts, Faisal Halim captained the side, while Brazilian striker Chrigor Moraes spearheaded the Red Giants’ attack.
Both sides started brightly, trading dangerous counter-attacks in an open first half. Kelantan TRW struck first in the 25th minute when Simen Lyngbo (No.2) finished off a fine assist from Syafik Ismail, sending the home supporters into celebration.
Selangor responded by increasing their attacking tempo through Faisal Halim and Chrigor Moraes, but the visitors were unable to find a breakthrough before the interval, as Kelantan TRW went into the break with a 1-0 advantage.
After the restart, Selangor came out with renewed intensity, pinning the hosts deep in their own half. The pressure finally paid off in the 62nd minute, when Faisal Halim fired a powerful close-range effort past Damyan Damyanov to restore parity for the Red Giants.
With the score level at 1-1 entering the final 10 minutes, Kelantan TRW nearly reclaimed the lead in the 83rd minute, but Farris Izdiham failed to hit the target in a golden opportunity.
The decisive moment arrived deep into stoppage time. In the 92nd minute, Faisal Halim struck again, completing his brace and breaking the hearts of the home fans to seal a priceless away win for Selangor.
The match ended 2-1 in favour of Selangor, placing the Red Giants in a strong position ahead of the second leg.
Both teams will meet again in the return fixture at MBPJ Stadium on 23 January, where Kelantan TRW face an uphill task to overturn the deficit against a confident Selangor side.
