Penang striker Dylan rocks Hang Jebat Stadium with a brace
The 27-year-old thought he had broken the deadlock in the first half with a superb curling effort from Bosnian winger Danilo Sipovac's pass.
But after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review, the goal was chalked off as Sipovac was judged to have fouled Melaka midfielder Nizaruddin Jazi in the build-up.
Wenzel-Halls' frustration boiled over, and he was shown a yellow card by referee Nawal Mohd Zubir for his protests.
But there was no denying him after the break. Just three minutes into the second half, he calmly slotted home from Ivorian striker Tchetche Kipre's pass to give Penang the lead.
His celebration was filled with emotion as he made the VAR gesture before embracing fans in the stands.
He doubled his tally in the 69th minute, latching onto a clever through ball from Wan Zack Haikal Wan Noor and firing a low shot that slipped past Melaka goalkeeper Jun Badelic.
Penang will now take a healthy advantage into the second leg, with Wenzel-Halls' brace proving the difference on the night.
Earlier, Sabah hammered Bunga Raya 6-0 while Immigration stunned Terengganu 2-1 in other round-of-16 fixtures.
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The Star
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Wenzel-Halls channels anger over disallowed goal into fuel for winning brace
PETALING JAYA: Penang's talisman Dylan Wenzel-Halls has never been the type to go easy around a football pitch. For the Australian winger, the game is about intensity, living on the edge where the pressure is sharpest and the rewards are sweetest. And on Sunday night at the Hang Jebat Stadium, that mentality made all the difference as he struck twice to fire Penang to a 2-0 win over Melaka in their FA Cup last 16 first leg match. "I'm a player who likes to play on the edge. Once I walk onto the pitch, I'm a competitor - I want to win and I want success," said the 27-year-old. That edge, however, was tested early against Melaka. In the first half, Wenzel-Halls thought he had scored a spectacular opener, curling home after a clever pass from Bosnian winger Danilo Sipovac. But his joy was short-lived - Video Assistant Referee (VAR) intervened, chalking the goal off after Sipovac was judged to have fouled Nizaruddin Jazi in the build-up. The decision upset him, and his protests earned him a yellow card. That setback could have led to a meltdown but Wenzel-Halls channelled the frustration into fuel for victory. "Even when VAR overturned the first goal, I told myself to stay patient and calm. I knew I had to keep doing my job, and thankfully I was able to take my chances when they came." In the 48th minute, Wenzel-Halls met Wan Zack Haikal Wan Noor's pass and slotted home with the composure of a man who had been waiting all night for that moment. His celebration mimicking the VAR gesture before running to the fans, was a mixture of relief and defiance. Twenty minutes later, he struck again when he finished off another Wan Zack through ball. For Wenzel-Halls, those goals were not just about the scoreboard - they were vindication that Penang have what it takes to push themselves to a win. "Of course it was emotional. We wanted our first win so badly. We've worked so hard all pre-season and in the league games, but we just lacked that final result. "To hear the full-time whistle and finally take the victory - it was really special." The brace also pushed his tally to three goals in three games, a blistering start that underlines his influence in Penang.
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