PETALING JAYA: Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) may be overwhelming favourites for the FA Cup final, but owner Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim has cautioned his players not to overlook Sabah.
He reminded the team that the fancied side do not always win especially on a stage where anything can happen.
On paper, JDT hold a strong advantage, having dominated Sabah this season, including an 8-0 Super League win at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in September.
But Tunku Ismail stressed that such results mean little in a final, where opponents often rise to the occasion with a completely different level of intensity and belief.
Despite JDT’s stature as local giants, they have had their share of upsets. The 2021 Malaysia Cup final remains a painful example, when they fell 2-0 to Kuala Lumpur.
He also pointed to last season’s FA Cup final campaign, where JDT were stunned by an early goal from Pahang’s T. Saravanan before fighting back to win 2-1 through Bergson Da Silva and Arif Aiman Hanapi.
“Don’t assume we can win just because you beat them by a big margin here (at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium). Don’t think they will be the same team in the final.
“In a final, all sorts of strange things can happen. Look at last year when we faced Pahang. Pahang suddenly turned into a strong team.
“And remember when we played Kuala Lumpur and lost 2-0, because at that time we thought we were powerful.
“After losing 2-0 to Kuala Lumpur, it was like a wake-up call for us,” said Tunku Ismail.
If the Southern Tigers manage to defeat the Rhinos on Sunday, they will make history by becoming the first team to win the FA Cup four consecutive times since reclaiming it in 2022.
Thus, Tunku Ismail has hinted of declaring a special holiday on Dec 15 should JDT lift the trophy.
The final also serves as a nostalgic repeat of the 1998 decider, when Johor secured a 1-0 victory over Sabah thanks to a solitary goal by Milan Blagojevic at Likas Stadium.
