SINGAPORE: Johor Darul Ta’zim FC head coach Xisco Munoz will field his “strongest possible team” as his side looks to move within touching distance of the semifinals of the Asean Club Championship Shopee Cup when they host Shan United FC in a Group B clash on Thursday (Jan 29).
The Malaysian champions enter Matchday 4 unbeaten with two wins and one draw and know that a victory at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium would leave them well placed to advance into the knockout stage of the region’s premier club competition.
“It is very important for us,” said Munoz ahead of the penultimate group match. “At this moment of the season, we want to take another step towards qualifying for the next round.
“If we take the three points tomorrow, we will be very close to reaching our objective so our full focus is on this match.”
JDT returns to Shopee Cup action at home for the first time since September, with Muñoz highlighting the importance of maintaining the club’s identity and standards in front of their supporters. While Shan United are winless in the competition and out of the running for the knockout phase, Munoz is not treating the match lightly.
“We are playing at home again, and that is important for us,” he said. “We want to continue with our behaviour, our ideas and our way of playing. Tomorrow we will put out our strongest possible team for an important game.”
Munoz also confirmed his squad has been boosted with the timely return of several key players, although their minutes on the pitch will be carefully managed. JDT have been impressive in their Shopee Cup debut with wins over Lion City Sailors FC and Bangkok United FC, and drew with PKR Svay Rieng FC thanks to two injury-time goals.
“It is a very positive situation for us,” he said. “We are recovering important players, and now we need to decide what is best for the team and for them in terms of minutes.”
While JDT look to edge closer to qualification, Shan United are determined to play for their pride as the Myanmar club has no mathematical chance of advancing into the knockout phase.
Head coach Han Win Aung acknowledged the scale of the challenge facing his side and stressed his players remain motivated.
“Johor Darul Ta’zim is the number one club in Asean,” he said. “We know this will be a very difficult match, but we are prepared to compete.”
Despite their position in Group B, Han Win Aung insisted the fixture still carries significance for his squad.
“We know we no longer have a chance to progress, but this match is still important for us,” he said. “We want to show a strong performance.”
