JDT shown AFC Cup exit despite win over Vietnamese side
PETALING JAYA: Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) AFC Cup’s campaign ended in the group stage for the first time in three years.
The Southern Tigers beat Vietnamese outfit Song Lam Nghe An 3-2 in their final Group H match at the Larkin Stadium last night but were denied their berth in the Asean zone semi-finals due to inferior goal difference.
Indonesian side Persija, who beat Singapore’s Tampines Rovers 4-2, topped the group with 13 points while Song Lam’s superior goal difference over JDT saw them finish second in the group despite both teams collecting 10 points.
Song Lam, however, will have to wait for the other Asean zone matches today to know if they finish as the best second-placed team.
JDT got off to a dream start after
they went ahead through Safawi Rasid (36th minute) and Syafiq Ahmad (39th).
But Song Lam quickly got back into the game through Nguyen Viet Nguyen (41st) and Ho Tuan Tai (45th+1).
Skipper Safiq Rahim restored JDT’s lead through a spot-kick (67th) after Nguyen Sy Nam handled the ball in the box.
JDT, who needed to win the match by a huge margin, huffed and puffed to increase their lead but was denied by Song Lam’s resolute defending.