PETALING JAYA: Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) have been warmly welcomed by Cambodia, with the club praising the country’s hospitality and impressive football infrastructure.
But admiration ends on the pitch, where the Southern Tigers aim to dismantle Svay Rieng in their third Group B match of the Asean Club Championship Shopee Cup at Phnom Penh’s Morodok Techo National Stadium today.
The defending Super League champions are determined to extend their winning streak in the competition, having already dispatched Singapore’s Lion City Sailors 3-1 on Aug 21 and Thailand’s Bangkok United 4-0 on Sept 25.
Svay Rieng, meanwhile, opened their campaign with a 3-0 win over Myanmar’s Shan United (Aug 21) before falling 1-2 to Vietnam’s Nam Dinh on Sept 25.
Backed by their home crowd, the Cambodian side will be eager to bounce back – something JDT coach Xisco Munoz is well aware of.
“This is a difficult and very important match for us. It’s a crucial moment as we try to advance to the next round,” said Munoz.
“Every game in the Shopee Cup is tough, and tomorrow will be no different.
“We are confident, and we believe we can win. The team are focused and ready.”
Munoz also emphasised the need for consistency in multiple competitions.
“It’s not about one moment or one match – you must maintain focus every day. We’ve come here to give our maximum, respect the competition, and build the strong mentality that big clubs must have,” he said.
Centreback Shane Lowry echoed his coach’s sentiments and said he’s eager for the match-up, even when asked about facing Svay Rieng’s prolific forwards Kwame Peprah and Patrick de Souza.
“Regarding their strikers – Patrick, Kwame, and the others – we’ve done our analysis,” said Lowry, who hails from Australia.
“We respect their qualities, but our focus is on our own plan. We know what we want to do on the pitch.”
