Johor Darul Ta’zim Football Club, or JDT, the only Malaysian football club that is standing in the international championship, the AFC Champions League Elite, won its first round of 16 in the first leg match, 3-1, against Japanese Sanfrecce Hiroshima at its formidable home fortress, Sultan Ibrahim Stadium, Iskandar Puteri, Johor Bahru, witnessed by roaring 31225 people in the packed venue.
Kicking off at 8.15pm, the match quickly favoured JDT under gaffer Xisco Muñoz when Sanfrecce Hiroshima’s Kim Ju-sung was booted out of play with a red card after collecting his second yellow at minute 26. The first half ended 0-0, with several relentless scoring chances from the home team.
The first goal materialised at minute 52 by JDT’s Ager Aketxe out of the box, assisted by Nacho Mendez, from the corner kick that was failed to be cleared out by the away team’s players in front of the goalpost.
Cult favourite Bergson da Silva struck the second goal for JDT at minute 63, after defender and captain Eddy Israfilov cut in the ball that Hiroshima tried to clear in front of the net. He booked a yellow afterwards, celebrating the score by taking his shirt off and exhibiting it upright.
Six minutes to full time, the sensational Marcos Guilherme, who has helped JDT notch its place in the 16 best, with his singular goal in the team’s previous match versus East Group’s topper, Vissel Kobe, made another screamer after taking a chance on another failure of the opponent’s free kick. Antonio Glauder cleared the ball before Yago César picked it up running towards the opposite, passing it to the relentless run by Oscar Arribas before assisting Guilherme for the third charming score.
Bartosch Gauli’s Hiroshima gained a goal from JDT’s Nené after the defensive midfielder tried to block the ball when goalkeeper Andoni Zubiaurre was down defending the goalpost, 2 minutes after the third goal by JDT.
After an additional time of 7 minutes, the match concluded with 3-1 favouring the Southern Tigers.
The second leg of the Round of 16 will take place on 11 March, 6pm Malaysian time, at Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan.
