JDT, you’ve been warned

That awful night: Johor Darul Ta’zim goalkeeper Mohd Farizal Marlias reacts after making a save from PJ City’s Bae Beom-geun in a Super League match in 2019 which the Phoenix won against the odds.

KUALA LUMPUR: Petaling Jaya City know what it takes to beat the giants of Malaysian football, Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT).

And the Phoenix are ready to rise to the occasion one more time to do just that when the two teams square up for their Super League clash at the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) Stadium tomorrow.

PJ City are among only a handful of teams to have upset the mighty JDT in the Malaysian League, having beaten the Southern Tigers twice – in a Malaysia Cup match in 2018 and a Super League tie in 2019.

PJ City head coach P. Maniam, while admitting that it will take a herculean effort to sink JDT this time, does not rule out his men’s chances against the Super League champions.

“We will play our normal game because we know JDT have a very good team. Even their reserve players are on another level, so they’re not an easy team to take on... You can’t just mark one player, you need to mark all their players as they’re also good in one-on-one situations,” said Maniam.

“But I believe that when you play wholeheartedly, anything can happen.

“The players just need to show their commitment, eagerness, aggressiveness and a positive attitude... and prove that PJ City’s all-local line-up have the capability to tear the form book apart.”

However, what is already sure to be a tough assignment has been made even tougher as Maniam has to deal with an injury crisis at the moment, with six players ruled out.

Among them are strikers Darren Lok and Muhammad Syahmi Zamri; midfielder K. Gurusamy; as well as defenders S. Subramaniam and M. Tamil Maran.

But Maniam in unfazed. In fact, he is confident that any player he fields against the title favourites will rise to the occasion.

“It is normal for us to rotate players regularly. So, anyone given the chance will grab the opportunity to perform,” he said, citing young wingers V. Ruventhiran and Sunil Chandran as examples.

JDT are on the verge of an eighth straight Super League title as they sit atop the standings with 45 points after 18 games, eight points clear of second-placed Terengganu, who have 37 points, with just four matches left.

Penang are third with 31 points and can only challenge for the second spot while fourth-placed Kedah, with 29 points from 15 matches, still have a mathematical chance of catching the Southern Tigers.

A win against PJ City will see JDT get one hand on the trophy, as Terengganu are set to host Kedah at the Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium in Kuala Terengganu at the same time.

Meanwhile, PJ City, who have lost three matches in a row since escaping with a 1-0 win over Sabah on July 24, are in eighth place with 18 points from 17 games. — Bernama