Arif Aiman never doubted JDT'S goals would come
KUALA LUMPUR: High fighting spirit proved to be the key to Johor Darul Ta'zim's (JDT) success in winning the 2024/2025 Malaysia Cup after coming from behind to defeat Sri Pahang FC 2-1 in the final at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil here last night.
The Southern Tigers' sensation Arif Aiman Mohd Hanapi admitted that the Elephants gave a strong fight but JDT did not easily succumb to the pressure.
He said conceding an early goal did not dampen the team's spirit, which was firmly focused on winning the prestigious title for a third consecutive time.
'Sri Pahang gave a tough fight but we kept playing with full effort even when trailing 1-0. We believed the goals would come, and not just myself, the entire team worked hard to equalise, and the second goal came because we really wanted to win this match,' he said at the post-final press conference.
The high-intensity final saw both teams reduced to 10 men after referee Razlan Joffri Ali showed red cards to Sri Pahang striker Sergio Aguero and JDT defender Park Jun Heong.
Sri Pahang, coached by Singaporean football legend Fandi Ahmad, had earlier stunned JDT when winger T. Saravanan scored the opening goal in the 14th minute.
Drawing on their experience, JDT fought back to equalise through a penalty converted by prolific striker Bergson Da Silva in the 54th minute, before Arif Aiman struck the winning goal in the 74th minute.
The victory completed a historic triple treble for JDT, making them the only team to achieve such a feat since Kedah's double treble in the 2007 and 2008 seasons.
The triple treble refers to winning the three major Malaysian football competitions — the Super League, FA Cup, and Malaysia Cup — in a single season.
Meanwhile, Arif Aiman expressed his determination to further elevate his career to the highest level.
'At my age now, I just have to work hard. I need to forget about any other lifestyle. I must focus on building my career and continuing to improve. That is all,' said the 22-year-old player.
Arif Aiman made history when he became the first player to be named Most Valuable Player (MVP) at the National Football Awards for four consecutive years, last Wednesday.
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