KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 (Bernama) -- Kuala Lumpur City FC (KL City) came from behind to hold DPMM FC to a 3-3 draw in the first leg of the 2026/2027 FA Cup quarterfinals at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas, Brunei tonight.
The highly dramatic match saw the home side open the scoring as early as the 18th minute when Jordan Murray swiftly blasted the ball into the net after receiving a pass from team captain Azwan Ali Rahman but KL City managed to equalise when Paulo Josue converted a penalty in the 33rd minute for the score to remain 1-1 until halftime.
Entering the second half, the squad coached by James Reynold took only 10 minutes to surge ahead and double their lead when Muhammad Farris Izdiham Awang Kechik headed the ball into the net in the 54th minute, before extending DPMM's lead once more four minutes later.
However, the home team's joy was cut short when KL City - affectionately nicknamed The City Boys - rallied to narrow the deficit through Muhamad Baqiuddin Shamsudin, who calmly headed the ball into the net after receiving a pass from Paulo in the 72nd minute.
Not content with that, the visiting team leveled the score again through a header by Fareed Sadat five minutes later to share the spoils with DPMM in the 3-3 draw.
The result means both teams will fight it out in the second leg of the quarterfinals, scheduled to take place at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium on October 11.
Meanwhile, the action at the City Stadium in Georgetown, Penang, saw Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) carry a comfortable advantage back to the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium (SSI) after thrashing Penang FC 7-2 in the first leg of the quarterfinals.
The Southern Tigers took the lead in the 16th minute through Bergson da Silva, who easily finished a cross from Manuel Hidalgo after the winger received a pass from Oscar Arribas.
The visitors' continuous pressure soon paid off with a second goal in first-half stoppage time when Bradley Anthony Tapp unleashed a long-range shot after receiving a pass from Hidalgo from the center of the pitch.
At the start of the second half, Penang FC managed to narrow the gap through a diving header by Enzo Celestine, who met a fine cross from Muhammad Haqimi Azim Rosli, before Marcus Guilherme restored JDT's two-goal advantage in the 54th minute.
Juan Martínez then netted the fourth goal in the 63rd minute with a shot into the right corner of the net while Zaheditabar Shahab added the fifth four minutes later.
Not satisfied with the status, JDT piled further misery on the home side when Tapp completed his brace with a header from a corner kick in the 70th minute, before Arif Aiman rounded off JDT's goalfest with the seventh goal in stoppage time.
Penang FC scored their second goal through substitute Mohamad Khala'if Mohd Naskam, who finished off a pass from Muhammad Akid Mohd Zamri late in the game, though the strike merely reduced the deficit before the match ended 7-2.
Penang FC will travel to SSI for the return leg scheduled for October 9.
Meanwhile, the match at the Sultan Muhammad IV Stadium in Kota Bharu saw Kelantan City FC held to a goalless draw by Kuching City in the first leg of the quarterfinals earlier tonight.
The result means both teams will clash without any advantage in the second leg of the quarterfinals, which will take place on October 10 at the Sarawak Stadium in Kuching for a spot in the semifinals.
-- BERNAMA