Back in business
JDT return to winning ways with victory in AFC Cup
JOHOR BARU: Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) are back in business.
The Southern Tigers returned to winning ways by downing Beoungket Angkor of Cambodia 3-0 in their AFC Cup Group F opening match at the Larkin Stadium last night.
Three days ago, the three-time Super League champions saw their 25-match unbeaten run since 2015 come to an abrupt end when they lost 2-1 to Perak in Ipoh.
JDT showed last night that they have put the loss behind them by going ahead after just two minutes through Argentine striker Gabriel Guerra.
The 2015 AFC Cup champions’ constant pressure on the visitors saw them being rewarded with a second goal when midfielder Muhd Nazmi Faiz Mansor’s low drive beat goalkeeper Sou Yaty in the 10th minute before skipper Safiq Rahim added the third goal in the 89th minute.
Japanese midfielder Hikaru Mizuno had the best chance of the half for the visitors, but his flick hit the post in the 21st minute.
There was nothing much the Cambodian League champions could do as JDT dominated the proceedings in the second-half.
Guerra should have scored his second goal of the night but he shot straight at Yaty from inside the penalty box in the 59th minute.
Beoungket striker Khuon Laboravy had the chance to get a consolation goal but lobbed the ball over the bar in the 75th minute.
In the 82nd minute, Ahmad Hazwan Bakri’s goal-bound shot was saved by Yaty, but Safiq added extra gloss to the scoreline when he headed in a cross by Gonzalo Cabrera a minute before full time.
At the Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore, Felda United got their AFC Cup debut off on a losing note after going down 2-1 to Tampines Rovers in Group G.
Tampines scored through Son Yong- chan ( 64th) and Khairul Amri (82nd) while Fazrul Hazli Kadri pulled one back for Felda (87th).
It was Felda’s fourth straight defeat under assistant coach Mohamad Nik. He is filling in for head coach Azmi Mohamad, who resigned on Feb 8.
The Felda team management have signed up former national coach B. Sathianathan and he is expected to take full control of the team for their Super League match against Perak at the Tun Abdul Razak Stadium in Jengka on Saturday.