Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) put themselves firmly in control of their FA Cup semi-final tie against Penang FC, running riot with a seven-goal salvo in the first leg at the Bandaraya Stadium to build a commanding cushion ahead of the second leg at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium, Iskandar Puteri.
The Southern Tigers arrived in Penang looking to bounce back from a frustrating draw against Buriram United in their AFC Champions League Elite 2026/27 opener, while the hosts had hoped home advantage would give them the edge heading into the return fixture. Instead, JDT delivered one of their most emphatic away performances of the season.
With Rui Nene and Nacho Mendez controlling the midfield, and Bergson da Silva, Manuel Hidalgo and Arif Aiman Hanapi probing relentlessly up front, JDT wasted little time asserting themselves. Bergson — the Super League’s all-time top scorer — opened the scoring in the 16th minute, brushing past Penang goalkeeper Nor Hakeem Hamidun with ease.
Just before the break, new Malaysian heritage player Brad Tapp doubled the visitors’ advantage, sending JDT into the dressing room with a 2-0 lead firmly intact.
Penang gave their fans a reason to believe early in the second half, pulling one back in the 46th minute through Enzo Celestine, who rose to head home a Haqimi Azim Rosli cross past visiting goalkeeper Christian Abad.
Any momentum the hosts built was quickly extinguished, however. Marcos Guilherme restored JDT’s two-goal cushion just eight minutes later in the 54th minute, before substitute Stoichkov made it four in the 63rd minute.
JDT continued to pour forward in search of more, and further goals from Shahab Zahedi (68′) and Brad Tapp (70′) turned a comfortable lead into a rout. Penang were forced into an unwanted change shortly after, with Nor Hakeem unable to continue through injury and replaced by Ashriq Izzat Mazlan between the posts.
Arif Aiman Hanapi completed the demolition job in stoppage time, netting JDT’s seventh of the night, before substitute Khala’if Naskam grabbed a stoppage-time consolation for the hosts.
The scoreline held at 7-2 through to the final whistle, handing JDT an almost unassailable lead heading into the second leg. Barring a dramatic reversal, the Southern Tigers will only need to see out the tie when the two sides meet again at the SSI on 9 October to book their place in the FA Cup semi-finals.
Credit Photo : HongZheng Lim/SNE-Photo
