PETALING JAYA: Having the best 11 is not enough for Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT).
The Southern Tigers head coach Xisco Munoz wants 20 to be of equal standard after they pulled off another clean sheet in the Super League.
The leaders beat Terengganu 3-0 at the Sultan Mizan Stadium in Gong Badak, extending their record to 28 goals scored without conceding.
Striker Bergson Da Silva broke the deadlock in the 25th minute and Oscar Arribas doubled their lead in the 42nd minute.
Iranian striker Shahab Zahedi sealed victory in the 88th minute, finishing off a pass from winger Arif Aiman Hanapi.
JDT stay at the top with 18 points from six games, while Terengganu are ninth with five points from five matches.
Munoz said depth defined the club.
“This reflects the values of JDT. Right now, I spoke with them about how we don’t just need 11 players...we need 20 players,” said the Spaniard.
“The substitutes who come on need to give even more than those who played before. That is what our club stand for because these are demanding expectations.
“It is always difficult when we play against Terengganu but we continued with the same character and momentum, another game with a clean sheet, and this is important for us.”
Meanwhile, Terengganu coach Nafuzi Zain was proud of his side’s spirit despite the defeat, though he felt they were too cautious early on.
“In the first half, perhaps we were a bit too cautious, and we conceded two goals that felt very easy,” he said.
He pinpointed a missed penalty from Matheus de Jesus in the 64th minute as the turning point and explained how the decision was made.
“I asked Gervane Kastaneer first but he said that Matheus was ready to do it... unfortunately, it didn’t go in, and that disappointment changed the momentum of the game.
“Five points from five games is not our standard level, we should be higher up,” said Nafuzi.
The Turtles’ next game is against Sabah on Oct 31.
