We can win it all: Johor Darul Ta’zim’s Joao Figueiredo (right) celebrating with teammates after scoring against Lion City Sailors in their Asean Club Championship Shopee Cup opening match at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium on Thursday. — Bernama
PETALING JAYA: Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) were not expecting a cruise against Singapore’s Lion City Sailors in their Asean Club Championship Shopee Cup opener on Thursday but it turned out to be pretty smooth sailing for the Southern Tigers.
And for Brazilian-born striker Joao Figueiredo, who fired a brace in the opening 16 minutes of the impressive 3-1 win at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium, the display sent out a clear message – that JDT are out to dominate the competition.
‘’We are here to win this cup, and this is the start we wanted,’’ said the 29-year-old Figueiredo, who also represents the Malaysian national team.
JDT wasted no time asserting their dominance at home. Figueiredo opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 11th minute before doubling the lead five minutes later, punishing a shaky Sailors defence that never quite settled into the contest.
Though the visitors worked hard to recover, JDT’s backline held firm, and the Sailors struggled to convert possession into real chances.
In stoppage time, winger Arif Aiman Hanapi capped a great night for the hosts with a cool finish to make it 3-0, before striker Shawal Anuar snatched a late consolation for Sailors.
With a long season ahead, Figueiredo emphasised the importance of consistency.
“This season will be long, with lots of matches because we are in several competitions - I think five to be precise, including continental ones.
“Yes, lots of game and we train hard, but recovery is important too. We want to be ready for every game.”
As for Sailors captain Toni Datkovic, he admitted his team paid the price for their slow start.
“We didn’t start well. We conceded two soft goals and it was hard to come back,” the Croatian defender reflected.
“We had agreed to be more compact and stay close to the defensive line, and we tried counter-attacks, but it wasn’t meant to be.
‘‘In the last quarter, we weren’t efficient and made things complicated.”
JDT next face Bangkok United in their second Group B fixture on Sept 25, where another win would edge them closer to knockout qualification and keep their Asean conquest firmly on track.
But first they will return to domestic action, where they take on Kuching City at the State Stadium in Kuching on Sunday.
