Johor Darul Ta’Zim earned second consecutive triumph after beating Shanghai Shenhua, a club from China scoring 3-1 in the AFC Champions League Elite 2025/26 League Stage(East Zone) at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium, Iskandar Puteri.
From the opening whistle, JDT asserted dominance, launching a flurry of early attacks that left Shanghai’s defense scrambling. Within the first five minutes, the Southern Tigers carved out several promising opportunities, showcasing their attacking intent in front of their home crowd.
In the 20th minute, Oscar Arribas came agonizingly close to opening the scoring with a thunderous strike from outside the box, only to see it crash off the post.
Ten minutes later, Afiq Fazail threaded a clever pass to Jairo da Silva, who slotted home — but the goal was disallowed after the referee ruled a handball in the buildup.
Jonathan Silva and Arribas combined again in the 39th minute, with both efforts denied — one by the goalkeeper, and the follow-up striking the crossbar — as frustration mounted for the home side.
Despite their dominance, the first half ended scoreless at 0–0, with JDT left to rue their missed chances.
The Southern Tigers wasted no time reigniting their attack after the interval. Just three minutes into the second half (48’), Arif Aiman surged down the right flank, whipping in a precise cross that found Jonathan Silva, who expertly tucked home the opener at the near post — sending the Sultan Ibrahim crowd into a frenzy.
JDT continued their aggressive push, and in the 64th minute, their persistence paid off again. Following a corner, Afiq Fazail’s delivery found Oscar Arribas, who unleashed a perfectly struck volley from outside the box that nestled into the far corner — doubling the lead to 2–0.
Shanghai Shenhua pulled one back in the 72nd minute after VAR awarded a penalty for Natxo Insa’s foul on Xu Haoyang. Brazilian striker Saulo Mineiro calmly converted from the spot to make it 2–1, giving the visitors a glimmer of hope.
However, JDT sealed the victory in style in the 88th minute. Arif Aiman, a constant threat all night, played a deft pass into the path of Jonathan Silva, who fired low past Bao Yaxiong to complete his brace and secure a 3–1 win for the reigning Malaysian champions.
The win marks JDT’s second consecutive triumph in the competition, propelling them to second place in the League Stage East Zone standings — a significant boost to their hopes of advancing to the knockout rounds.
Credit Photo : Jayden Seah/SNE-Photo
