KUALA LUMPUR: Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) coach Xisco Munoz faces a selection headache over his starting line-up for the Malaysia Cup final against Kuching City tonight but he isn’t shaking his head.
It is a welcome challenge as the Spaniard said that the club’s squad depth has made team selection one of his toughest tasks this season, especially with the need to balance local and foreign players.
“Choosing our first 11 is difficult because we have many quality players with great ability,” said Munoz during the pre-match press conference.
“We can only start with 11 players, so we have to find the right local and foreign combination.
“Throughout the season, we have rotated the squad well to keep the players fresh because the schedule has been demanding.
“But this is the last game, so I need to find the right combination and players with enough fuel left for the battle.”
Munoz also confirmed that winger Arif Aiman Hanapi has been included in the squad after recovering from a hamstring injury that has kept him sidelined since Nov 5.
The 24-year-old underwent surgery in Spain before continuing part of his rehabilitation programme there. He returned to training in April to rebuild his fitness and resumed full training this month.
“I’m happy because Arif is back in the squad. We will see if he can play some minutes in the final,’’ added Munoz.
“Arif has not played for a long time, so there is no pressure for him to return immediately. He still needs time to get back to his true level, but based on his recovery and rehabilitation, he looks good.”
Despite JDT entering the final as favourites, Munoz expects a stern test from Kuching City, who finished runners-up in the Super League.
The Southern Tigers have beaten Kuching in all four meetings this season, although every encounter proved closely contested.
JDT secured 1-0 and 2-1 league wins, while advancing 4-1 on aggregate in the FA Cup semi-finals.
“The challenge is that we are playing against a team that conceded only 14 goals in the league,” said Munoz.
“When we played against them, it has always been a close scoreline. Physically, they are strong, and they will demand a lot from us.
‘‘It is the final between the two best teams in Malaysia. We need to accept the challenge.’’
