PETALING JAYA: Despite sitting above Shanghai Port in Group A, Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) cannot afford to underestimate their Chinese opponents when they meet today at Stadium Sultan Ibrahim, Iskandar Puteri.
On paper, JDT appear to hold the advantage, placed seventh in the group with seven points, while their Chinese opponents have yet to register a win after five matches.
However, Xisco Munoz’s side cannot be overconfident, having narrowly escaped defeat in the Asean Club Championships against Cambodian club PKR Svay Rieng, rallying late to secure a 2-2 draw three days ago.
Their most recent ACLE outing was also unconvincing, suffering a 2-0 loss to Melbourne Victory on November 25.
Therefore, Munoz is urging his players to make the most of their home advantage, not just in search of victory but also to protect their goal from being breached.
If they allow Shanghai to break through their defence early, it could give their opponents momentum and confidence, which would pose a major problem for them.
"One of the key points when we concede goals is that the focus should not be only on the back line. The focus must be on the whole team. It is important that everyone works in both directions. Attacking well is important, but it is equally important that the entire team defends effectively.
"For tomorrow (today), one of the priorities is keeping a clean sheet. We need to continue the work we have been doing in the competition and the league. Conceding goals creates more problems, so maintaining a clean sheet is crucial. We also need to pay attention to small details in both defensive and offensive areas," said Munoz.
Defender Shane Lowry, who became JDT’s hero by scoring against Svay Rieng recently, acknowledged that his team cannot afford to waste their home advantage, as a win would boost their standing in Group A.
"We know as a team that this is a huge game. Securing three points would put us in a strong position within the group, and we are fully focused.
"As the coach said, we need to play with full intensity. We have a good record at home in the Champions League, and having our fans behind us makes a massive difference, giving us an extra push," he added.
