Johor Darul Ta’zim FC coach Xisco Muñoz praised his team’s second half performance against Myanmar’s Shan United FC as the Malaysia Super League champions took another step towards qualification for the semi-finals of the ASEAN Club Championships Shopee Cup™.
Shopee Star of the Match Bérgson da Silva claimed a brace after Óscar Arribas had given his side a 65th minute lead against the plucky visitors, who had frustrated their hosts’ attempts to pick up their third win in four matches in Group B with a determined defensive performance.
“It is a very positive result,” said Muñoz, whose side sit in second in the standings ahead of next week’s final round of group games. “It is always difficult to play for 90 minutes in these conditions, especially at this time of day.
“I mentioned (prior to the game) that in the final third, we needed better individual decisions and better finishing. In the second half, we were stronger in the final third and more decisive with our finishing. That made the difference. It is an important three points, and now we must look ahead to the next match.”
The result means JDT only need to draw with already-qualified Nam Định FC to book their place in the last four while a win over the V.League 1 champions would secure top spot in the standings for the Malaysians club. Nam Định maintained their winning record in the Shopee Cup™ with a 3-0 win over Lion City Sailors FC.
“We have to take it game by game,” Muñoz said of his team’s upcoming challenges. “Plans can change quickly because of injuries, fatigue, or form.
“This is an important phase of our season. We need personality, character and energy. Some players need recovery, others need minutes, and we must adapt every day. The positive thing is that the players understand the situation and always give 100 per cent.”
Da Silva, whose goals against Shan United raised his tournament’s tally to five, said: “It feels good, I feel very proud. Sometimes in a match, you feel very anxious. Lucky we did well in the second half and I scored two goals.
"I’m very happy. I think we have a very good chance (in the tournament) because we have a good squad and we can rotate our important players. Our expectation is very high.”
Shan United, meanwhile, will go into next week’s meeting with Bangkok United FC in their final group game looking to pick up their first point of the Shopee Cup™ campaign having been on the receiving end of another defeat despite an encouraging defensive display.
“Our preparation was good, we trained well leading into this match, and we were ready to play despite the conditions,” said coach Han Win Aung.
“We had some changes with our foreign players. One of them has just joined us and is still adapting, so it is normal that he is still finding his rhythm.
“These things take time, and we will continue working with the players to help them improve and integrate better into the team.”
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