LIONSXII 0-0 Terengganu (0-1 on aggregate)
Johor FC 1-2 Sime Darby FC (3-5 on aggregate)
Kelantan 2-0 SPA FC (5-0 on aggregate)
T-Team 1-2 Kedah (1-2 on aggregate)
Against a sorely-depleted and visibly-tired LIONSXII, Terengganu's display in the return leg was packed to the rafters with defensive grit and resolute determination. It was, at times, highly impressive stuff from the reigning FA Cup champions.
"I am very satisfied with the result," Terengganu coach Mat Zan Mat Aris declared after the match.
"I anticipated the way LIONSXII were going to play, with long balls from three-quarter field. What was of course important is that we did not let a goal in.
"As defending champions, it is our belief that we will reach the final again. We will now play against Sime Darby, but that will not be easy," he added.
With inspirational captain Shahril Ishak on the bench, and minus the services of an injured Sufian Anuar and the suspended Hariss Harun, LIONSXII started brightly on a night they knew they needed to score.
First, and with Terengganu content to sit back and soak up the LIONSXII pressure, Khairul Nizam fizzed a 14th minute header from Shahdan Sulaiman's free-kick just over Sharbinee Allawee's crossbar.
Two minutes later, Irwan Shah's pinpoint cross found Khairul wanting, the former Young Lions forward somehow failing to make a decent connection when only seven yards out.
By way of contrast, it took Terengganu, themselves without Kalang Tie, until the 32nd minute to muster their first shot in anger. Bustling midfielder Ismail Faruqi's long-range effort sailing wide as the visitors finally sprang to life.
In the last meaningful action of the first period, Terengganu striker Francis Forkey Doe, booed throughout by the home crowd for his part in Harris' red card on Saturday, lashed a shot inches wide of Hyrulnizam Juma'at's left hand upright.
LIONSXII coach V Sundramoorthy brought on Shahril shortly before the hour mark in an attempt to break the deadlock. In the end, however, it mattered little.
Try as they may, the hosts were constantly found wanting in the final third. Devoid of any clinical precision where it mattered most, LIONSXII huffed and puffed but, as in the first half, failed to make any headway, even after the introduction of leading goalscorer Shahril.
Late headers from Madhu Mohana and Safuwan Baharudin could, and maybe should, have changed the tie's complexion, both failing to register when well placed.
Instead, it was Terengganu's faithful who went home the happier, leaving LIONSXII to reflect on what could have been.
"I cannot ask for anything more from my boys. They gave everything and I am very sorry for them that they have not reached the semi-finals," Sundramoorthy said.
"That is life sometimes. You just have to move on," the former Singapore international concluded.
Premier League outfit Sime Darby booked their place in the semis after beating Johor FC 5-3 on aggregate.
Leading 3-2 from Saturday's first leg, Sime Darby took the lead in the fourth minute through Patrick Wleh, before the Liberian striker added another 16 minutes later.
Ahmad Fauzi Shaari pulled one back for Johor FC from the spot 11 minutes from time, but it ultimately proved too little too late.
Elsewhere, Kelantan cruised to a 2-0 win over SPA FC to progress 5-0 on aggregate. Red Warriors midfielder Norfarhan Muhd gave his side the lead in the 17th minute, before Nigerian striker Onyekachi Nwoha, who used to play for Metalist Kharkiv, wrapped things up in the 71st minute.
The defending league champions will face Kedah in their semi-final tie after Hijau-Kuning beat T-Team 2-1 at the Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah Stadium on Tuesday.
Kedah had Hamidan Mohammed to thank for the win after the 22-year-old Ghanaian grabbed a brace to cancel out Azrul Hazran's 69th-minute strike.
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