JOHOR BARU: Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) face the risk of not qualifying for the AFC Cup zonal semi-finals when the former champions take on Vietnam’s Song Lam Nghe An FC in their final Group H match at Larkin Stadium on Monday.
Raul Longhi’s side are third in the group with seven points with Indonesia’s Persija Jakarta and Song Lam (with 10 points each) occupying the top two spots.
JDT would finish second if they defeat the Vietnamese side by three goals in a result that would leave them with a chance of claiming the best-placed runners-up spot in the Asean zone.
Despite the pressure, Longhi does not want it to affect his team as they also have a crucial Super League match against Kelantan in Kota Baru on Saturday.
“We will go into the match with the target of winning it. Anything is possible in football and I believe we can score many goals if everything goes to plan.
“I may mix-and-match by starting line-up tomorrow as we also need to think about Kelantan on Saturday. However, this AFC Cup match is also very important to the team,” said Longhi.
JDT captain Safiq Rahim has also urged his teammates to respond positively on Monday from the unexpected 3-0 defeat to Pahang in FA Cup semi-finals last weekend.
“We are determined and focused for a good result. It is important that we win tomorrow to set the tone for the match against Kelantan,” said Safiq.