Friday saw the commencement of the 2021 M-League season with the first match of the 2021 Liga Super Malaysia campaign between defending champions Johor Darul Ta’zim and last year’s league runners-up Kedah Darul Aman at the former’s Sultan Ibrahim Stadium. In the match billed as the 2021 Piala Sumbangsih, JDT managed to clinch themselves yet another silverware after seeing off Kedah 2-0.
The Malaysian version of the Community Shield, the Piala Sumbangsih usually acts as the opening match of the new Liga Super season, which pits the league champions of the previous season against the Malaysia Cup winners of the previous year. However, as the 2020 Malaysia Cup was cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, defending league champions JDT were matched up against 2020 Liga Super runners-up Kedah in this year’s Piala Sumbangsih, which was played at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium as the home ground of the league champions.
The match itself was a cagey encounter. With both sides still looking rusty due a lack of competitive game time following a lengthy period off the pitch, heavy favorites JDT sounded the warning bells for their opponents early in the game. Leandro Velazquez and Gonzalo Cabrera, the ever-present deadly duo of the Southern Tigers, struck the crossbar in the 4th and 11th minute respectively, ensuring that Kedah custodian Ifwat Akmal was on his toes since the get-go.
Despite being on the back-foot for a good majority of the match, Kedah were not without their chances. The ever-reliable Kipre Tchetche almost stunned JDT in the 17th minute with a superb volley that rattled the crossbar, sending JDT goalkeeper Farizal Marlias into high alert.
Unfettered by that scare, JDT kept on establishing their dominance over the proceedings and sure enough the inevitable happened. Safawi Rasid, fresh from his brief loan spell with Portuguese top-flight side Portimonense SC and celebrating his 24th birthday on the day of the 2021 Piala Sumbangsih, drilled home the opening goal for JDT in the 34th minute. Receiving a pass within the penalty box from Afiq Fazail, Safawi took a step back with the ball before firing off a left-footed shot that scurried past a diving Ifwat.
The game was then settled for good in the 67th minute, with Spanish-Malaysian midfielder Natxo Insa slamming a long-ranged low drive past a stunned Ifwat. The ball took a deflection off Kedah defender Amirul Hisyam en route to the goal, however Insa was still credited with the strike as JDT killed off any chances of a comeback from the Red Eagles.
With JDT deservedly lifting their sixth Piala Sumbangsih, their fourth such title in a row, fans of the Southern Tigers watching from home were not only treated with the return of Safawi, but also the return of long-time skipper Safiq Rahim, who rejoined JDT during the off-season after a stint at Melaka United.
Round 1 of the Liga Super continues on Saturday, with newly promoted sides Penang FC and Kuala Lumpur City (formerly Kuala Lumpur United) clashing at the City Stadium in George Town, Penang. On the same day, university side UiTM FC entertain Terengganu FC at the UiTM Stadium in Shah Alam, while another Selangor-based side in Selangor FC are also in action at their home state, hosting Sri Pahang FC at their new temporary home that is the Petaling Jaya Stadium in Petaling Jaya. Last but not least, Melaka welcome Sabah FC to the Hang Jebat Stadium in Krubong for their season opener.