Johor Darul Ta’Zim still on top after winning 16 matches consecutive after win Negeri Sembilan FC with a score of 2-0 in the Liga Super Malaysia 2023 at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium, Iskandar Puteri.
In that match, JDT manager Esteban Solari rested Bergson Da Silva while risking Fernando Forestieri playing in the main team alongside Arif Aiman Hanapi and Diogo Luis Santo driving the South Tigers attack wheel.
JDT’s mastery of the game clearly poses a threat to Jang’s squad fortress when eight minutes of Leandro Velazquez’s acrobatic kick from outside the penalty box almost traps the goalkeeper, Sikh Izhan Sikh Azman.
Unfortunately for the NSFC when Casagrande could not continue the game and the team’s controller, K. Devan was forced to enter R. Aroon Kumar.
When the action entered the 20th minute, the goal that JDT was looking for succeeded in stemming from a free kick by Velazaquez watching Feroz Baharuddin sneak in the gap between the visiting troop’s fortress and head the ball in to kill Sikh Izhan.
After JDT’s net, Devan’s squad seemed reluctant to launch attacks in pursuit of an equalization instead preferring to ‘camp’ with 10 players in their own area to avoid being scored.
Even though the visiting team adopted the ‘bass parking’ style, Devan’s goalpost also missed after Velazquez’s free kick from 25 meters in the 43rd minute right to the left corner of the goal killed Sikh Izhan to put the hosts comfortably ahead 2-0.
Continuing the second half, the South Tiger squad continued to put pressure on the stronghold of Jang’s squad and the inclusion of Bergson who replaced Diogo looked very threatening to the goal of the visitors.
What happened during the 65 minutes of the game, JDT’s attack line seemed to be numb with the NSFC ‘village’ pattern and the frequent moves made were broken by the defense led by Herold Goulon.
Arif Aiman’s brave action to roll the ball from distance in the 84th minute almost trapped Sikh Izhan who was forced to pound the ball out of the danger area and JDT held on to a 2-0 position until the match ended.
Credit Photo : JST
