KINABALU Jaguar are just one win away from becoming the first team to seal a spot in the quarter-finals of the M3 League despite being held 2-2 by Group A's bottom team FC Langkawi last weekend.
The unexpected result, however, extended the Sabah club's unbeaten run to 11 matches since losing their opening match 1-0 to Ultimate after Norhamizikri Hamid snatched a late equaliser for the unfancied Langkawi at the Lada Stadium.
Jenius Karib, with a penalty four minutes into the second half, cancelled a 26th-minute lead given to Langkawi by Hafiz Iskandar Abdul Rahman before Zulkifly Harun put the Group A leaders ahead in the 79th minute.
Norhamizikri, however, equalised just three minutes later for Langkawi, who only have four points from 12 matches and have yet to win this season.
Despite dropping two points, Kinabalu (29) extended their lead by a point at the top of the standings after Manjung City lost 2-1 to Armed Forces at Mindef, allowing Forces to move into second on goal difference with 25 points.
That set up a tantalising top-of-the-table clash on Saturday at Likas when Kinabalu, who have a 14-point advantage over fifth-placed Malaysian University with six games remaining, host Forces in a bid to secure a last-eight berth.
With Forces and Manjung also well set to advance from Group A, that leaves a mad scramble among Immigration (18), Malaysian University (15) and Ultimate (15) for the last and fourth qualifying spot.
A similar pattern is developing in Group B where the top three have pulled away from the pack as Harini FT (24) opened a one-point lead over BRM Kuala Kangsar and Persada Integriti Bersatu (PIB) after edging Respect 1-0 in Ipoh through K. Reuben's 29th minute winner.
"Our game was supposed to be played on Saturday evening but heavy rain postponed it to Sunday morning. We were not at our best but did enough to get the three points, thanks to a wonderful goal by Reuben," said Harini coach G. Muthu.
"We are one step closer to the quarter-finals and I think two more wins should be enough to advance."
Ahmad Fakri Saarani was on target for BRM but the former national striker was upstaged by Iqmal Izzuddin Zainal, who struck a hat-trick to help bottom-side Kijang Rangers to a surprise 3-3 draw in Kota Baru.
PIB dropped from first to third after a 4-1 defeat by Perlis United in Nilai where Sadam Hashim netted twice for the visitors with Afiq Azmi and Azrizan Ahmad also among the goals.
The victory put Perlis United (18) in the driving seat for the fourth quarter-final place in the group as they remained two points ahead of Kuala Lumpur Rovers, who earned a 2-1 win over Tok Janggut Warriors in Gombak, thanks to Shafiq Shaharudin's 49th-minute winner.
The two teams meet on Saturday in Kangar where a win for Perlis United over KL Rovers will put Azizul Abidin's side, who stunned Premier League team Police in the FA Cup earlier this season, closer to the last-eight.