PETALING JAYA: Former Real Madrid player Jese Rodriguez scored his first goal for Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) as they produced another polished display to demolish Kuala Lumpur Rovers 6-0 in their Malaysia Cup round of 16, second-leg match at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium yesterday.
The 31-year-old Rodriguez, who was signed on Oct 5, was on target in the 45th minute, finishing off a fine combination with midfielder Nazmi Faiz Mansor to put JDT 3-0 up at half-time.
The home side had opened the scoring via an own goal from KL Rovers centreback Raffi Nagoorgani in the 13th minute.
Twenty minutes later, JDT wingback La’vere Corbin-Ong unleashed a powerful shot past Rovers goalkeeper Ahmad Asyraaf Omar.
In the second-half, winger Alif Mutalib put JDT four up in the 75th minute before Brazilian striker Bergson Da Silva added a fifth the 82nd minute. Winger Mohamadou Sumareh completed the rout in the 88th minute.
JDT, through to the quarter-finals on a whopping 9-0 aggregate, will face either Kedah or Kuala Lumpur next.
Although most the goals were scored by the usual suspects, JDT coach Hector Bidoglio is savouring options which all his counterparts can only envy.
Several young players like Alif, goalkeeper Christian Abad, who is only 18, winger G. Pavithran, midfielder Danish Hakimi Salahuddin and defender Fakrul Haikal Razali were given a chance to show their qualities over the two legs and they’ve all made quite an impression.
With such an embarrassment of riches in talent, defending champions JDT are fancied to make it three in a row in the prestigious competition.
