The forward came off the bench in the second half to score a fantastic hat trick as the hosts, LionsXII bounced back from their last home defeat in style against the league’s leader.
Things could have been so diverse for Sufian Anuar on Tuesday night.
Truly seconds in the wake of going ahead for the LionsXII, he crushed a great cut-back over the bar with the score at 1-1.
That miss could have crippled the striker, yet he reacted with an eminent hat trick as the Malaysia Super League champions get away with an unbelievable 4-1 win over leaders Pahang FA.
As it were, Sufian's relentlessness typified the soul of his side, who were looking to bounce back from a baffling lost to Sime Darby only three days prior at the Jalan Besar Stadium.
The visitors came into the crash with five straight wins and it appeared as though they were on a course to make it six eight minutes since the match started. Centre-back Afiq Yunos, was back in the beginning line-up in the wake of missing the last two matches, neglected to track partner Damion Stewart, who occupied Azhar Sairudin's free-kick past a powerless Izwan Mahbud.
The LionsXII keeper then pulled off a sublime recovery to tip Dickson Nwakaeme's rankling low drive behind on 21 minutes, with Zeshran Rehman's goal-bound header from the resultant corner which was blocked by Safuwan Baharudin.
Fandi Ahmad had sprung a change of strategies before commencement when he pushed right-back Faritz Hameed forward to the flank, while half brothers Khairul Amri and Khairul Nizam were paired up top.
Anyhow it was a second reshuffle, this one was authorized, that paid dividends. Aqhari Abdullah replaced Raihan Rahman's because of an injury 30 minutes after. From then on, Aqhari Abdullah joined forces with Safuwan as Faritz dropped back to defence.
The sudden changes made an impact to the team as it appeared to stir the LionsXII with Madhu Mohana heading Faris Ramli's free-kick over from four yards. The last then constrained a corner after his shot was redirected and from that point, the hosts levelled.
Hafiz Sujad's corner was feebly punched out to an unmarked Safuwan, who indicated flawless procedure to volley the ball into the bottom corner from 12 yards, regardless of Azamuddin Akil's hopeless lunge on the line.
From that point on, the momentum stayed with the LionsXII, as Hafiz and Amri went near providing for them a half-time lead. Five minutes going to the second period, Faritz let go into the side netting, before an alternate change in player’s momentum turned the match on its head.
Sufian went ahead for Nizam, who limped off with a knee injury close to the hour mark. While he squandered his first chance, Sufian redeemed himself on the second chance given to him at the 79 minute mark of the game.
Faritz's cross was diverted to the edge of the box, where Amri took a shot that fell off Azidan. The ball tumbled to Sufian in the six yard zone, who stood out a foot to push it past the unlucky Khairul Azhan as the crowd made noise.
Izwan needed to turn another great exertion from Nwakaeme past the post as Pahang tried to hit back promptly, with Azidan's low drive from range.
The visitors looked ferocious at the 90 minutes mark of the game when Sterwart’s shot seemed to strike Afiq’s arm, yet the referee was unmoved and added five minutes was signalled.
As Pahang is all out with their efforts for an equaliser, the LionsXII killed them through swift counter attacks to conclude a sweet victory.
Sufian first wowed the crowd and made his coach Fandi happy during the 93rd minute after his first shot had been saved. Afterwards, after Amri’s shot came off the post, he was just in time at a perfect spot to blast home the last kick and seals the game with a 3-point lead, making it one of his greatest game so far.
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