ISKANDAR PUTERI, March 3 — Johor Darul Ta’zim FC (JDT) are determined to capitalise on home advantage when they take to the pitch against Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the first leg of the 2025/2026 AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE) Round of 16 at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium (SSI) here tomorrow.
The Southern Tigers are expected to adopt a more defensive approach with high intensity to secure a favourable result ahead of the return leg, thus strengthening their chances of advancing to the quarter-finals of Asia’s premier club competition.
JDT head coach Xisco Munoz described tomorrow’s clash as a crucial test, stressing the need for his side to control the tempo especially against Japan’s Sanfrecce Hiroshima, a team known for their attacking transitions.
“It will be a tough game. The most important thing is to control the game and understand the different phases. They are strong and have good players, especially going forward,” he said in a pre-match press conference at SSI here today.
Despite acknowledging the visitors’ strengths, Munoz expressed confidence in his squad’s capability to rise to the occasion.
“We also have a strong team. We need to show strong mentality, intensity and power throughout the match. With our fans, our ‘extra player’ behind us, we can give our maximum performance. It is an important game and we must be strong. If we have the opportunity, we need to finish the game early,” he said.
Munoz also emphasised the importance of composure and enjoyment in competing at the highest level.
“We will see how they start the game, but what is important is that we enjoy the moment. We are playing at a high level against a Japanese team,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sanfrecce Hiroshima head coach Bartosch Gaul expects a stern test against JDT but believes his side are well prepared for the first-leg Round of 16 clash tomorrow.
He acknowledged the quality shown by JDT in their previous outing, particularly their resilience despite being reduced to 10 men.
“They showed good quality even when they played with 10 players in the last match. It will be a tough match, but we are ready for it,” he said.
Asked about key threats from the home side, Gaul said Hiroshima would focus on neutralising several important players but stressed that his team’s main priority was to impose their own game.
“They have a lot of good players, especially in attack. We need to control the game, but the most important thing is to focus on our performance. Every result is important. If we can get a good result tomorrow, it will be very positive for us.
“Of course, the long travel and the different temperature here could pose challenges, but we have to give our best performance and concentrate on our play,” he said.
JDT suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to Japan’s Sanfrecce Hiroshima in their ACLE Group A match on February 10 at the Edion Peace Wing Stadium in Hiroshima after being reduced to 10 men. — Bernama
