Safawi among young stars to watch at AFC Champions League
Darul Ta’zim’s (JDT) Safawi Rasid is one of the 10 young stars to watch in this year’s AFC Champions League, according to www.the-afc.com.
The 22-year-old Safawi is regarded as one of the rising stars of Southeast Asian football.
The forward is set to make his Champions League debut when JDT take on defending champions Kashima Antlers of Japan at the Kashima Soccer Stadium in Tuesday’s Group E match.
Others in the group are South Korea’s Gyeongnam FC and Marouane Fellaini-led Shandong Luneng of China.
Safawi is a dead-ball specialist and has a history of scoring stunning goals from distance, while he also boasts the skill to take on defenders and the creativity to pick out teammates with key passes.
Last year, Safawi helped Malaysia qualify for the AFC Under-23 Championship quarter-finals and scored in the AFF Cup final before defeat to Vietnam.
Others on the list are Bassam Al Rawi (Al Duhail), Hiroki Abe (Kashima), Safaa Hadi (Al Zawraa), Supachai Jaided (Buriram United), Allahyar Sayyad (Esteghlal), Yahya Al Ghassani (Al Wahda), Zhang Yuning (Beijing FC), Jasurbek Yakshiboev (Pakhtakor) and Han Seung-gyu (Jeonbuk Hyundai)
Following the 4-2 win over Selangor on Friday, JDT, who have 13 points from five Super League matches, hope to make a huge impression against Kashima, who are currently struggling in Japan’s J1 this year.
“We will go to Japan and try to make a good game. It will be very difficult.
“We know that the Champions League is at a different level,” said JDT manager Luciano Figueroa yesterday.
JDT will be banking on the experience of forward Diogo Santo who has Champions League experience with his previous team, Buriram United of Thailand.
“His experience will help the team and his teammates. We have to make use of that but the games in the Champions League are going to be very tough,” said Figueroa.