MPL Match Day Review: The City Boys on their way back to MSL

It has been incredible for KL so far. After years of struggling in the lower league, they are now top of Malaysia Premier League standing with 10 points after four matches. Who would have thought KL would be the promotion contender this season. There was a time when they seemed like they are not up to it. Negeri Sembilan almost ruined their unbeaten run until Zhafri Yahya scored the equaliser three minutes before the whistle gone. They are leading 2-0 against Sabah after just four minutes through Zhafri again and Casagrande. But The Rhinos managed to get back into the game through Marco Tulio's penalty and Leopold Otong. Helmi Remeli finally netted the winner in 82 minutes. It was a nervy end but a win is a win.

Another MPL team rising to the top is DRB-Hicom. After one win and one defeat, DRB surprised Sabah who played at their sacred home Likas, by defeating them 2-0 through Fakrul Aiman and Arip Amiruddin. But no one would have imagined DRB recording a comfortable win against UiTM. It's a major shock. DRB dominated and scored three goals in the first half through their new signing Philip Lund and a brace from Ivan Babic. Babic completed his hat-trick in the 50th minute. UiTM can only scored through a consolation goal from their top goalscorer, Pavel Purishkin.

JDTII was under scrutiny after losing three games in a row but finally ended the misery as they thrashed the hapless ATM 5-1 at Pasir Gudang while Sabah and ATM are currently losing for four games in a row and though it is still early in the season, if they unable to find their way back to the safety zone, relegation is a certainty.

MPL Match day 2: The conquest of UiTM and KL continues

Photo: Official photo NSTP

Five out of six matches were played in the second matchday of Malaysia Premier League on Monday with the biggest shock came from Sabah who were beaten 4-1 by Kuantan FA. Perlis also fell short after losing 1-0 at home to UiTM despite trashing ATM 6-1 last week.

Kuantan 4-1 Sabah

Sabah took an early through Maxsius Musa in the 38 minute and lead the game until the end of the first half. It wasn't until 20 minutes into the second half that the home side begin their incredible comeback. Dao Bakary equalised through a penalty in 66 minute. For 20 minutes, both team have a hard time trying to find the winner. But then magic happens. In 6 minutes, Kuantan scored 3 goals through Malik Mat Ariff, Wafiy Abdul Ghafar and again by Dao Bakary. It was a great win for Kuantan but a big, big problem for Sabah especially their head coach Vjeran Simunic who aim for promotion this season after failed miserably last season.

Perlis 0-1 UiTM

Perlis are favourites to win the game after recording an emphatic 6-1 win over ATM but were shocked by an early goal by Pavel Purishkin in the 28 minute. The home side trying to get back into the game with two goals disallowed by the referee for offside. A sturdy defence as well as amazing goalkeeping from Pavel Matiash means UiTM took all 3 points away from home. The win also means UiTM is currently top of the league, winning two games and lose none. It's a great start for Raja Isa, who returned after spending for 8 years coaching in Indonesia.

HIGHLIGHT PERLIS FA VS UITM FC
Very good performance from the lions!!
Posted by UITM FC on Monday, 15 February 2016

KL 1-0 JDTII

KL continued their fine form under Ismail Zakaria in the league as they beat JDTII 1-0 through a penalty from Leo Carioca after Zhafri Yahya was brought down by JDTII goalkeeper Fazli Paat in the 66 minute. The win saw them moved second in the standing, sharing the same point with league leaders UiTM FC. Their next game will be in the second round of FA Cup against Malacca.

Malacca 2-1 PKNS

Malacca took an early lead through former Pahang player, R. Surendran who scored with a weak shot in the 21 minute. But PKNS pegged back through Juan Manuel Cobelli in the 50th minute. Nurshamil Abdul Ghani became the hero once again as he scored the winner in the 72 minute, as they moved to fifth place, levelled on point with Kuantan and Negeri Sembilan.

DRB-Hicom 1-3 Negeri Sembilan

This game provide another fairytale. DRB took the lead through Ivan Babic who took the chance of Negeri Sembilan lapse of concentration in the 20th minute. Negeri Sembilan almost scored the equaliser twice but were cleared off the line by the defence in the first half as well as the second half. The away side also have another clear-cut chance but the ball hit the side-netting. Negeri finally found the equaliser through a penalty from Andrew Nabbout in the 80 minute. Three minutes later, Joel Chianese found the net as he converted a cross from the right side to make it 2-1. Alex Smith rounded off the game, picking up a brilliant back pass, rounds off the keeper before scoring with a simple finish in the 89th minute.

15-2-2016 : HIGHTLIGHTS DRB HICOM 1 - 3 NEGERI SEMBILAN
Posted by Persatuan Bolasepak Negeri Sembilan - RASMI on Monday, 15 February 2016

A game between Sime Darby and ATM will be played today.

MPL: Perlis and UiTM excel in the first match of 2016

Photo: Official NSTP

It's the very first match day of the season and six matches were played yesterday. Broadcast live matches, as promised last year, did not happened. It's a silent coverage like many seasons ago. The highlights is only available at 1pm lunch-time news on RTM and TV3. Some were outraged, some were so used to it that attending MPL games at stadium is no big deal. Oh well.

Sabah are the favourites against UiTM but they were left speechless as the university side trounced The Rhinos 4-1, massively contributed by the debut hat-trick from Pavel Purishkin.

Perlis debut season ended in a glorious victory as they trashed the depleted side ATM 6-1 at Kangar Stadium, scored by Obinna Nwaneri, a brace from Kayne Vincent, Alafi Mahmud, Afif Amiruddin and Sadam Hashim.

Meanwhile, JDTII were surprised at home by the incisive away team DRB-Hicom who swept aside the Southern Tiger 3-1 scored by Nazri Kamal, Ivan Babic, and Kim Jin Ryong.

KL also begin their season on a positive note as they beat PKNS 1-0, a solitary goal from Casagrande despite playing at Stadium Hang Jebat, a stadium located more than 100km away from KL.

Melaka scored the last-gasp equaliser in the injury time through Nurshamil Ghani to draw 2-2 against the recently relegated side Sime Darby.

Negeri Sembilan shared the spoils with Kuantan as they draw 1-1 at Paroi.