Liga Super: 10-man Selangor beat Star City 1-0 as late Coulibaly penalty gives Melaka win at Penang
Hugo Boumous scored as Selangor made it six wins from six despite Chrigor Moraes' red card, while Melaka came from behind to win 2-1 in George Town.
Selangor's perfect start to the Liga Super season goes on. Hugo Boumous scored the only goal against Star City at the MBPJ Stadium on Sunday, and the Red Giants held on with 10 men after captain Chrigor Moraes was sent off. In George Town, Melaka FC came from behind to beat Penang FC 2-1 with a penalty in the final minutes.
Selangor 1-0 Star City: Boumous strikes early
Kim Pan-gon's side went ahead in the 16th minute. Boumous got the better of Star City goalkeeper Farhan Abdul Majid to put Selangor in front, and that goal proved enough.
The game turned tense late on. In the 81st minute, Moraes was shown a red card after a VAR review found he had followed through on an opponent. Selangor saw out the final minutes and stoppage time a man short.
Star City deserve credit for staying in the game. Midfielder Endrick Dos Santos was central to their best moments, but they could not find an equaliser.
The win was Selangor's sixth in a row, giving them the maximum 18 points from six matches. Before Sunday, Moraes had been one of their key scorers, including two goals in the 3-1 win over Penang on 17 October. Selangor will now have to plan for his suspension.
Penang 1-2 Melaka: a late turnaround
At the Bandaraya Stadium, the first half finished goalless. Penang had a goal from Enzo Celestine ruled out for offside just before half-time. Celestine then hit the crossbar after the break.
Penang finally went ahead in the 62nd minute. Celestine was fouled in the box by Kamal Arif Azrai Shakimar, and captain Stefano Brundo scored the penalty.
Melaka hit back 10 minutes later. Kpah Sherman sent in a low cross and Dino Kalesic tapped in the equaliser. Some early reports credited Sherman with the goal, but Bernama and Utusan both name Kalesic as the scorer.
Late in the game, substitute Suhaimi Abu brought down Sherman in the area. Abdel Kader Coulibaly scored the penalty to win it for E. Elavarasan's side.
What the results mean
According to Bernama, Melaka stay sixth after a second successive league win. Penang drop to 11th. Utusan reported that this was Penang's third straight defeat in all competitions and their first loss to Melaka after winning the previous five meetings.
Penang's recent run includes a heavy aggregate defeat to Johor Darul Ta'zim in the FA Cup quarter-finals. They will hope their league form improves before the season reaches its halfway point.
What comes next
Champions Johor Darul Ta'zim turn their attention to Asia this week. They play Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in the AFC Champions League Elite in Jeonju on Tuesday, 3 November, at 6pm Malaysia time. They return home to face DPMM on Sunday, 8 November, at 8.15pm.
Key takeaways
- Hugo Boumous scored in the 16th minute as Selangor beat Star City 1-0 at MBPJ Stadium.
- Selangor captain Chrigor Moraes was sent off in the 81st minute after a VAR review.
- Selangor have won all six league games and have 18 points.
- Melaka beat Penang 2-1 with goals from Dino Kalesic and an Abdel Kader Coulibaly penalty.
- Penang have lost three in a row in all competitions.
FAQ
Who scored for Selangor against Star City? Hugo Boumous scored the only goal in the 16th minute.
Why did Selangor finish with 10 men? Captain Chrigor Moraes was sent off in the 81st minute after VAR checked a follow-up challenge on an opponent.
Who scored Melaka's winner against Penang? Abdel Kader Coulibaly converted a penalty in the closing minutes after Kpah Sherman was fouled.
Sources: Bernama, Utusan Malaysia, Kosmo, Makan Bola, mynewshub