PETALING JAYA: Johor Darul Takzim (JDT) will be looking for a silver lining when they take on Selangor in their final Super League match at the Larkin Stadium tonight.
The win against the Red Giants today will enable them to finish second and book a spot in the AFC Cup next season. It will also make up for their failure to lift the FA Cup after losing 1-0 to Kelantan in the final last week.
Selangor and JDT are joint second on 39 points but the Red Giants hold the upperhand as they have a better goal difference of +14 and need just a draw to become the second representatives from Malaysia in next season’s AFC Cup competition. JDT have a goal difference of +6.
FA Cup winners Kelantan won the other ticket in the Asian club competition.
Lions XII, who have already clinched the Super League crown, top the standings with 43 points.
JDT coach Fandi Ahmad reckons that the AFC Cup slot will be the perfect belated birthday gift to Johor FA president Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, who celebrated his 29th birthday on June 30.
The former Singapore international is also hoping for his men to avenge the 4-1 hammering they received from Selangor at the Shah Alam Stadium on March 9.
“We failed to present the FA Cup to Tunku Ismail but we will give him another gift by winning a place in the AFC Cup,” said the 51-year-old Fandi.
“Selangor are a fast attacking team and their players are very hardworking. We must make sure we cut out their raids fast.”
A few players – like Leonel Nunez, Jasazrin Jamaluddin, K. Thanaraj and Ahmad Ezrie Shafize – have shown tremendous improvement and that augurs well for the hosts.
However, Fandi will be without striker Safee Sali and midfielders Andre Francisco and Safiq Rahim, who have yet to shrug off their injuries.
The good news is the return of centreback Aidil Zafuan Abdul Razak from a two-match ban.
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