ISKANDAR PUTERI, Sept 12 (Bernama) — Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) head coach Xisco Munoz hailed his side’s 6-0 demolition of Penang FC as an ‘amazing performance’, while cautioning that the Southern Tigers must raise their game further as they prepare for their AFC Champions League (ACL) opener against Buriram United on Sept 16.
“First of all, congratulations to the players. It was an amazing performance – they controlled the ball, attacked well and created many chances. I’m very happy because they followed the game plan at a very high level,” he told a post-match press conference at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium here, last night.
JDT raced to a commanding 5-0 lead in the first half before Spanish defender Antonio Glauder added the sixth after the break to cap a dominant display that strengthened their position at the top of the Super League standings.
Munoz, however, felt his side could have scored more goals if they had shown greater composure in the final third.
“We just need a little more time to find balance in the attacking third. Sometimes we must be more patient, because there were clear situations that could have been finished. With the quality of players we have, I’m sure we can improve and score more goals in the future,” he said.
The Spaniard also praised debutants Ager Aketxe Barrutia and Raul Parra Artal for adapting swiftly to JDT’s high-intensity style of play.
“It’s never easy to step straight into the JDT setup, but they worked extremely hard and understood exactly what we wanted. Congratulations to them because they gave their best on their debut,” he added.
Looking ahead to the ACL clash against Buriram United at the Buriram Stadium in Thailand, Munoz admitted it will be a tough test but remains optimistic his squad can rise to the challenge.
“The most important thing is to stay fully focused from the first minute, play with personality and understand the strength of our opponent. We know it will be difficult away from home, but we’re confident our fans will be behind us. We have to give everything for them,” he said.
JDT celebrated a goal-fest as they defeated Penang FC 6-0 in a Super League match at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium here last night.
The emphatic win tightened the Southern Tigers’ grip on top spot in the standings, while Penang’s struggles continued as they remain in 11th place in the 13-team competition.
— BERNAMA
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