The nightmare start to the 2016 season of Pahang worsened on Saturday night as the Elephants were dumped out of the third round of the Malaysia FA Cup with a 1-0 loss to second tier Sime Darby at the Darul Makmur Stadium.
Already bottom of the Malaysia Super League (MSL) with just one point from their first four games of the season, a first half strike from the visitors pushed the pressure on Pahang's under-fire coach Ahmad Shaharuddin Rosdi to critical levels.
Sime Darby, relegated from the top tier at the end of 2015, got the only goal of the game after just five minutes, thanks to Syed Sobri, to book their place in the quarterfinals. Despite plenty of huff and puff from the hosts -- 2014 FA Cup champions and Malaysia Cup winners in 2013 and 2014 -- there was no way back.
It was not the only shock on a night when Super League giants struggled against teams from lower down the football ladder.
Felda United suffered their second defeat in the space of four days, losing 3-2 at PKNS.
The Premier League side add the Fighters, third in the Super League, to the scalp of Terengganu that was picked up in the previous round.
Sabah won the bottom of the Premier League clash 2-1 over ATM FA while in-form Kuala Lumpur ensured that the second tier will provide four of the last eight, thanks to a 2-0 win at Perlis.
On Friday, three teams moved into the quarterfinals. MSL champions Johor Darul Ta'zim defeated Negeri Sembilan 4-1, PDRM FA eliminated Selangor with a 2-1 win while Kedah needed penalties to overcome Kelantan after extra-time finished 1-1.