Gambia midfielder Mohamadou Sumareh was Pahang's unlikely hero, scoring an 87th-minute goal against Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) to take the Elephants through to the semifinals of the Malaysia FA Cup.
Defending champions JDT were on the cusp of a place in the last four on Sunday night as they held a 2-0 lead with only three minutes to go in the quarterfinal second leg in Johor Bahru. That made the aggregate score 3-3, which would have taken the Southern Tigers through on the away goals' rule, having scored in Kuantan in the 3-1 defeat in the first leg on April 1.
Early strikes Gabriel Guerra and Gonzalo Cabrera had put JDT in pole position in front of a delighted 23,420-strong crowd at the Larkin Stadium.
Cabrera needed only five minutes to put the Southern Tigers in front after he was on the receiving end of yet another assist from JDT's in-form captain Safiq Rahim.
Guerra then notched his sixth goal in as many appearances in the 22nd minute after being set up by Azrif Nasrulhaq.
Stung, 2014 winners Pahang looked to respond immediately. Johor goalkeeper Izham Tarmizi had to be alert to deny Malaysia international attacker Joseph Kalang Tie.
But JDT looked comfortable heading into the break, and looked to increase their advantage early in the second half.
Azrif, playing in an advanced position alongside Cabrera and Guerra, almost added a third minutes into the second half, but he missed the mark as JDT looked to ride on their first half momentum.
But Dollah Salleh's men shocked the hosts four minutes from the end, as Sumareh nodded home Nurridzuan Abu Hassan's cross to send the visitors through.
The Gambian midfielder's goal ended JDT's interest in the first major trophy of the domestic season.
