PETALING JAYA: Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) opened their Shopee Cup Asean Club Championship campaign in emphatic fashion, thrashing PKR Svay Rieng 6-0 in their Group B match at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri on Thursday (Oct 8).
The hosts had to wait until the 38th minute to break the deadlock.
Mercurial winger Arif Aiman Hanapi collected a pass from Brazilian winger Marcus Guilherme and unleashed a long-range shot from outside the penalty box to beat Svay Rieng goalkeeper Dara.
JDT doubled their lead five minutes into the second half. Guilherme latched on to a superb pass from Brazilian striker Jairo da Silva and smashed home a clinical finish inside the box in the 50th minute.
Colombian centreback Kevin Medina made it three in the 60th minute, rising to head in a corner delivered by Arif.
Two substitutes combined for the fourth goal in the 69th minute, when Spanish midfielder Ager Aketxe whipped in a low, driven cross for Iranian striker Shahab Zahedi to finish.
Another pair of replacements then got in on the act. Brazilian winger Yago da Silva set up striker Daniesh Amiruddin to make it five in the 78th minute and Daniesh struck again in the 86th to cap a glorious night for the Southern Tigers.
JDT turn their attention to domestic duty next, when they take on Penang in the second leg of the FA Cup quarter-finals at the same venue on Friday (Oct 9).
