Johor Darul Ta’Zim advanced to the Quarter-Final round after beating KL Rovers, a club from Liga A1 Semi-Pro, scoring 6-0 in the Unifi Piala Malaysia 2024/25 Round of 16, second leg at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium, Iskandar Puteri.
From the opening whistle, JDT signaled their intent to dominate. In the third minute, Jese Rodriguez nearly set up an opener with a precise through ball to Corbin Ong, but KL Rovers goalkeeper Ahmad Asyraaf Omar managed to thwart the early danger.
JDT broke the deadlock in the 13th minute when a cross from Rodriguez forced KL Rovers defender Mohammad Raffi Nagoorghani into an own goal.
The visitors nearly capitalized on a rare error from JDT’s Danish Hakimi Sahaludin in the 19th minute, but Faiz Mazlan’s powerful shot was expertly saved by JDT goalkeeper Christian Abad Amat.
JDT doubled their lead in the 32nd minute. A pinpoint cross from Nazmi Faiz Mansor found Rodriguez, who cleverly set up Corbin Ong for a clinical finish into the left corner of the net.
Rodriguez, a former Real Madrid player, added a third goal just before halftime. A brilliant one-two with Nazmi Faiz allowed him to slot home in the 44th minute, giving JDT a commanding 3-0 lead and a 6-0 aggregate advantage at the break.
Hector Bidoglio’s decision to bring on Gabriel Nistelrooy and Bergson da Silva paid dividends in the second half. Nistelrooy, the top scorer for JDT II, came close in the 52nd minute but narrowly missed the target.
Bergson wasted no time making an impact, heading in Muhamad Alif Abdul Mutalib’s cross in the 74th minute for JDT’s fourth goal. He struck again in the 81st minute, converting a cross from Nazmi Faiz to make it 5-0.
In the dying minutes, Mahammadou Sumareh ended his goal drought with a well-taken finish from Nazmi Faiz’s assist, sealing the 6-0 rout and a comprehensive 9-0 aggregate triumph.
JDT’s relentless performance reaffirms their status as favorites to retain the Unifi Piala Malaysia title. Their attacking depth, led by stars like Rodriguez, Bergson, and Sumareh, coupled with Bidoglio’s tactical acumen, makes them a formidable force.
With the quarter-finals on the horizon, the Harimau Selatan will look to maintain their momentum and further cement their dominance in Malaysian football. Their next opponent, whether KDA FC or KL City FC, will undoubtedly face a daunting challenge.
Credit Photo : JST
