PKR Svay Rieng FC head coach Matt McConkey has given his squad a clean bill of health as the Cambodia Premier League champions prepare to take on ASEAN Club Championship Shopee Cup™ Group B leaders Johor Darul Ta’zim FC in Phnom Penh on Thursday.
The pair meet with Svay Rieng looking to score a major upset against the Malaysia Super League champions, who have a perfect record after opening wins over Lion City Sailors FC and Bangkok United FC.
“We know we are playing against one of the best teams in Southeast Asia, so it will be a very good test for us to see how our levels match up,” said McConkey. “They are a very strong and consistent team.
“We know roughly what to expect in terms of their attacking and defensive organisation, but predicting the exact 11 players is difficult because of their busy schedule.
“This is probably the first time in a while that we have no injury problems. Everybody is available for selection, so we have no issues on that front.”
Svay Rieng started the Shopee Cup™ with a 3-0 victory over Myanmar’s Shan United FC before falling to a 2-1 defeat against Nam Định FC in the second round of Group B matches with McConkey’s side playing an attacking brand of football.
And that is a style of play the Northern Irishman stresses he will not change despite the challenges that await his team against a talented JDT squad.
“We built this team to play in a specific way,” he said. “That way is not to sit with 11 men behind the ball for 90 minutes and try to steal a goal on the counterattack.
“Win, lose or draw, we will learn from this game. We want to learn about our game model and how we want to play. Our aim is the same: to dominate possession and to press as high as we can.”
Having started the competition with back-to-back wins, JDT coach Xisco Muñoz believes a third Group B victory on Thursday would allow his team take to take a huge stride towards the next phase of the competition.
“All the games in the Shopee Cup™ are important for us,” said the Spaniard, who will be without long-term absentee Arif Aiman.
“This is a crucial moment because a positive result tomorrow would be a big step forward towards the next round. Every match in this competition is tough, but we will try to give our best.
“We do have some injuries, but we have a big squad with a lot of good players. It doesn’t matter who plays — the most important thing is that everyone gives their best. We are a strong squad, and tomorrow we must give everything.”
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