18/05/2026

SPORTS MONDAY | MAY 18, 2026

31

NSFC end campaign on high Hobin Jang Hobin down Real Warriors, Imigresen and Melaka share spoils

RESULTS & STANDINGS

KBS to study MFL pay-per view suggestion THE Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) will hold further discussions on the pro posed implementation of a pay-per view model by the Malaysian Football League (MFL) before any decision is finalised. Its minister, Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari, said the matter would be stud ied comprehensively, including its impact on the development of local football. “We will hold discussions on the matter and I will inform later,” he said briefly when asked to comment on the proposal during a giant screen viewing session held in conjunction with the 2026 FA Cup final between Manchester City and Chelsea. Previously, Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) owner and Regent of Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim proposed the introduction of a pay-per-view model as a strategic measure to return football to the people. Through the digital subscription platform to be developed by MFL, sup porters would have the opportunity to watch matches live while contributing to the league’s and clubs’ revenue streams. The proposal is seen as a possi ble solution to current issues, including broadcasting rights constraints and low revenue distribution to clubs. Meanwhile, regarding calls for citi zenship approvals for seven heritage players of Harimau Malaya, he said the matter was being left to the Home Ministry (KDN) and the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM). “We leave it to the Home Ministry and the association, and it is not under the purview of KBS. The minister has already commented on the matter,” he said. – Bernama NOTE: Top four teams qualify for Champions League; 5th & 6th Europa League; 7th Conference League; 16th plays relegation playoff. CHAMPIONS RELEGATED ENGLISH FA CUP (Final) : Chelsea 0 Manchester City 1 (Semenyo 72). BUNDESLIGA: Borussia Moencheng ladbach 4 Hoffenheim 0, Bayer Leverkusen 1 Hamburg 1, Bayern Munich 5 Cologne 1, Eintracht Frank furt 2 Stuttgart 2, Freiburg 4 RB Leip zig 1, Heidenheim 0 Mainz 2, St. Pauli 1 Wolfsburg 3, Union Berlin 4 Augs burg 0, Werder Bremen 0 Borussia Dortmund 2. P W D L F A Pts B Munich 34 28 5 1 122 36 89 Dortmund 34 22 7 5 70 34 73 RB Leipzig 34 20 5 9 66 47 65 Stuttgart 34 18 8 8 71 49 62 Hoffenheim 34 18 7 9 65 52 61 Leverkusen 34 17 8 9 68 47 59 Freiburg 34 13 8 13 51 57 47 E Frankfurt 34 11 11 12 61 65 44 Augsburg 34 12 7 15 45 61 43 Mainz 34 10 10 14 44 53 40 Union Berlin 34 10 9 15 44 58 39 B. M’gladbach 34 9 11 14 42 53 38 Hamburg 34 9 11 14 40 54 38 Cologne 34 7 11 16 49 63 32 W Bremen 34 8 8 1837 60 32 Wolfsburg 34 7 8 1945 69 29 Heidenheim 34 6 8 20 41 72 26 St Pauli 34 6 8 2029 60 26

N EGERI SEMBILAN FC (NSFC) concluded their Super League campaign on a high note by defeating Kelantan The Real Warriors (TRW) FC 2-1 in their final match at the Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium in Paroi, Seremban, on Saturday night. Playing in front of their home crowd, the Hobin Jang Hobin squad was more aggressive of the two teams and took control early on, creating several close chances before opening the scoring in the eighth minute when Ahmad Khuzaimi Piee con nected cleanly with a header past opposition goal keeper Mohammad Fikri Che Soh. NSFC doubled their advantage just three min utes later through Mio Tsuneyasu, who reacted quickly to smash home a rebound after Joseph Esso’s initial shot rocked the goalpost. Kelantan TRW managed to pull one back in the 27th minute when Muhammad Asraf Aliffuddin Yasin latched onto a precise pass from Muhammad Nor Azam Abdul Azih before calmly slotting it into the net. NSFC missed a golden opportunity to extend

strong challenge despite the team facing major con straints throughout the season. “I told the players that this is their opportunity to showcase their abilities and promote themselves for next season. Although many are local and young players, I am satisfied with their commitment,” he said. Meanwhile in Perlis, Imigresen FC and Melaka FC shared the spoils after playing out a 1-1 draw at the Tuanku Syed Putra Stadium in Kangar. The match, played under ideal weather conditions, saw a balanced display from both sides, with the first half ending goalless. Coming into the second half, Imigresen FC broke the deadlock through Fayadh Zulkifli in the 46th minute to hand the home fans an early celebration. However, Melaka FC fought back to level the score through a clinical strike by Dino Kalesic in the 60th minute. The home side suffered a blow four minutes later when import player Eduardo Jose Sosa was sent off by referee Muhammad Nazmi Nasaruddin after picking up a second yellow card. – Bernama

their lead just before the break when Joseph Esso’s penalty kick was saved by Mohammad Fikri, who guessed the direction correctly. After the restart, K. Rajan’s men continued to test the visitors’ backline, but disciplined defending from Kelantan TRW frustrated their attempts to extend the lead, keeping the final score at 2-1 in favour of the hosts. After the match, NSFC interim head coach Rajan hinted that he will remain with the team for the upcoming season as part of the club’s long-term plan. However, he said that his official position within the coaching structure has yet to be finalised, although he is still included in NSFC’s plans for next season, contributing to the team’s development. “My position is still with NSFC. Whatever the decision later, I am still part of the team’s plans for next season. Yes, I will remain because this is a long term plan, it’s just that the exact position is not yet known,” he said. Kelantan TRW fitness coach Kamarul Dinis Kamarudin expressed pride in the fighting spirit dis played by his players, who continued to put up a

Malaysia’s Shahalri Aiman Halim ( right) in action during the Group C quadrant match of the 2026 Sepak Takraw World Cup against South Korea yesterday. – BERNAMAPIC

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17/05/2026

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Malaysia made to wait for quarters berth

MALAYSIA missed the chance to seal an early quarterfinal berth after suffering a 1-2 defeat to South Korea in their second Group C quadrant match of the 2026 Sepak Takraw World Cup at Stadium Titiwangsa in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. The national squad comprising Muhammad Afifuddin Mohd Razali, Muhammad Fetri Mohd Azwadi, Amirul Zazwan Amir and Aidil Aiman got off to a sluggish start after losing 8-15 in the open ing set. Malaysia, however, bounced back in the second set after Muhammad Shahalril Aiman Halim was brought in to replace Muhammad Fetri, helping the team level the tie with a 15-11 win. In the deciding set, South Korea, represented by Jeong Wondeok, Jeong Hasung, Lim Taegyun and Kim Hyeongjong, displayed consistent form in a closely fought contest before sealing a 15-13 vic tory. The result means Malaysia must defeat India in their next match to keep alive their hopes of advancing to the quarterfinals. National quadrant coach Mohammad Zulkarnain Mohamed Arif said his players would make full use of the few remaining hours to assess the Indian team, which has shown strong emphasis on the quadrant event. “So, we know India’s strengths. InsyaAllah we

will study them a little. We will discuss again the strategies to improve our game,” he told reporters after the match. Meanwhile national regu captain Farhan Adam admitted his team is still adapting and finding its rhythm despite opening its campaign with a 2-0 victory over Japan on Saturday. Farhan said the match against Japan was the national squad’s first international outing this year, posing a challenge for players to readjust to the actual competition environment. “As everyone knows, this (against Japan) was our first international match this year,” he said. “We were unable to test our level of play while training together in the national squad. “So now, we are still in the process of finding our rhythm and adapting to the match environment.” Commenting on the change of tekong during Saturday’s match, Farhan said the decision was part of the team’s strategy to ensure all players gain chemistry and early exposure on the court. “In my view, it was all part of the strategy because we need all players to feel comfortable early in the tournament. “So that for upcoming matches, which may be more challenging, all players will be ready and have experienced the atmosphere on the court,” he said. – Bernama

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