KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 — The Malaysia Cup final descended into chaos last night before a ball was even kicked, as rival fans of Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) and Sri Pahang FC clashed violently outside the Bukit Jalil Stadium here.
What began as a heated exchange escalated into a full-blown brawl at the Axiata Arena entrance.
Witnesses reported scenes of mayhem as traffic cones were ripped from their places and hurled through the air, while flares were ignited and waved dangerously close to the crowd, setting an ominous tone ahead of the country’s most prestigious football showdown.
Videos that have since gone viral on social media show furious supporters from both sides exchanging punches and kicks as barricades meant to separate the groups were easily breached.
The situation spiraled out of control within minutes, forcing police and Rela personnel to intervene to break up the melee and restore order.
According to initial news reports, the clash was sparked when a group of JDT fans were allegedly provoked by a small faction of Pahang supporters near the Sri Pahang entrance gates.
Tempers flared, and with neither side backing down, the confrontation quickly devolved into chaos.
Despite the off-field drama, the final itself lived up to its billing, delivering a thrilling contest that saw JDT crowned champions after a 2-1 comeback victory over Sri Pahang.
Pahang coach Fandi Ahmad later revealed that the turning point of the night for his team came early, lamenting the loss of key player Sergio Aguero to a red card in the first half.
Aguero, who had already been booked, was shown a second yellow in quick succession at the 35th minute — a controversial decision that left Sri Pahang a man down while they were leading 1-0 through T. Saravanan’s strike.
“We came here to fight, and the players gave two hundred percent on the field,” Fandi was quoted by Malay newspaper Kosmo! Online after the match.
“But the red card killed our momentum. We had to defend most of the game after that.”
JDT took full advantage, with Berson da Silva and Arif Aiman Hanapi both finding the net to snatch victory and add yet another trophy to the Southern Tigers’ overflowing cabinet for the third year running.
