HISTORY BECKONS

JDT on verge of winning fifth straight title

JOHOR Darul Ta’zim (JDT) will win their fifth successive Super League title if they beat Perak in Ipoh today. The Southern Tigers are sitting pretty at the top of the standings with a 13-point lead over secondplace Perak with only five rounds of matches left to play.

Losing in Ipoh will not pressure JDT in anyway as they still have easy home ties against Kelantan and Kuala Lumpur to go.

As for Perak, Mehmet Durakovic’s side need to beat JDT to maintain their slim hopes of becoming champions.

Kedah, who are third on 30 points, are the only other team with a mathematical chance of overtaking JDT.

The Red Eagles need to win all their remaining matches and hope that JDT do not pick up more than two points from their own set of fixtures.

Despite troubles with their import players at the start of the season, JDT have proven to be unstoppable, winning 14 of their 17 matches so far.

The Super League champions this year will qualify for the tournament proper of the AFC Champions League for the first time next season.

“We have been preparing for the last eight days for Perak. Everyone is in good shape and ready for the challenge.

“The goal is always to win our matches and we will be driven to earn three points tomorrow (today),” said JDT midfielder Syamer Kutty Abba yesterday.

Meanwhile, Bojan Hodak’s side face Myanmar in a crucial AFF Under-19 Championship Group B match in Indonesia today.

Malaysia and Myanmar are tied on seven points with the latter at the top on goal difference while Timor Leste, who drew with both teams, are third.

Timor Leste, on five points, are expected to beat minnows Cambodia on the same day to seal one of the two semi-final spots.

“It is a match that we must win to reach the semi-finals. Myanmar are decent and very dangerous in attack.

“We are having injuries. Three regulars in Akhyar Rashid, Gerald Gadit and Anwar Ibrahim may not play,” said Hodak.