PETALING JAYA: Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) head coach Xisco Munoz has urged his players to not let past mistakes arise again when they take on Cambodian club Svay Rieng in the Asean Club Championship Shopee Cup today.
The Southern Tigers will host Svay Rieng at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium for their opening Group B match, and the Spanish head coach wants to avoid a stalemate encounter with the Cambodian club after drawing 2-2 against them at the previous edition last December.
With the previous encounter played in Phnom Penh, Munoz hopes things will be different as they will be playing on home ground.
“Although we tied 2-2 last time we played each other, this time it is a different situation because we are playing at home,” said Munoz during the pre-match press conference yesterday.
“JDT have several new faces, and so do our opponents, who have improved their squad with new players who will make it a challenge for us.
“We need to learn from our past mistakes and ensure we don’t concede.
“They have quality in the midfield and speed in their attacks.
“So we need to control the defensive transitions.”
At the same time, JDT defender Shane Lowry echoed the coach’s comments, saying it would be ideal if the team maintained a clean sheet.
“Our priority is to prevent goals. It would be good to be in the lead because there’s less pressure on the defence.
“We have a good record at home and the players have a responsibility to keep that for the fans,” he said.
Meanwhile, JDT will also be fielding more junior and reserve players in the tournament as well as the Malaysia Cup following a new club policy to ensure youngsters are given exposure and opportunities in the senior team.
They said in a statement on Tuesday that while they prioritise the Super League, AFC Champions League Elite and FA Cup, JDT will give rising players the chance to gain both domestic and international experience, and also enable the team to navigate the schedule of five senior team tournaments and keep players fresh.
