Safuwan Baharuddin celebrates his goal against Terengganu. – BernamaPic
PETALING JAYA: It is a rarity to see a centre-back score a hat trick, but Safuwan Baharuddin did it with ease.
The 32-year-old produced a captain’s innings for Selangor when he scored a hattrick to help them get to the final of the FA Cup, after beating Terengganu 4-1 in the semi-final second leg at the Petaling Jaya Stadium on Saturday (Aug 3).
The Singaporean international scored two headers in the third and fifth minutes and got his third with a sumptuous volley in the 54th minute.
Jordanian striker Reziq Bani Hani completed a glorious night for Selangor by scoring in the 93rd minute.
Terengganu’s goal was scored by Nigerian striker Ismaheel Akinade in the 22nd minute.
The win was made even sweeter as winger Faisal Halim returned to the team as he was listed as one of the substitutes for the match.
He is returning to the game after suffering an acid attack at a shopping mall on May 5.
The Red Giants reached the final after clinching a 6-4 aggregate. They were beaten 2-3 in the first leg at the Sultan Mizan Stadium in Gong Badak on July 19.
Selangor last qualified for the final in 2018, when they were beaten by Pahang 0-2. They last won the tournament in 2009 when they beat Kelantan 4-1 in a penalty shootout, after holding each other 1-1 during regulation time.
Selangor are one of the most successful clubs in the FA Cup, winning it five times. The other club to have won it five times is Kedah.
