LionsXII stunned by bottom team

SINGAPORE - The LionsXII's torrid run in the Malaysian Super League (MSL) continued when they lost to bottom placed PKNS yesterday.

Goals from Arip Amiruddin and Patrick Wleh handed Fandi Ahmad's men a 2-1 defeat at the Shah Alam Stadium.

Following the defeat, the LionsXII have only one win in their last seven matches.

The outgoing champions actually started brightly, taking the lead through a stunning Gabriel Quak goal. The 23-year-old cut in from the right flank before unleashing a belter from 30m in the 25th minute.

But their joy was short-lived. PKNS, on a six-game losing streak themselves, equalised just seven minutes later through Arip.

Their purple patch continued after the restart, with the Liberian Wleh latching on to a long punt from defence, and beating Baihakki Khaizan with sheer strength and pace before slotting past Izwan Mahbud.

The LionsXII piled on the pressure after trailing, but were let down by a toothless attack missing top scorer Khairul Amri.

The result puts their bid for automatic qualification for the post-season Malaysia Cup in doubt.

The LionsXII sit in eighth place with 25 points, ahead of 10th-placed ATM, who have 22 points. A top-10 finish guarantees them a place in the post-season Malaysia Cup.

The LionsXII play second-last Perak in their penultimate MSL match on Saturday at the Jalan Besar Stadium.

siangyee@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on June 18, 2014.
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