ISKANDAR PUTERI: Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) are hopeful that playing on home ground will give an added advantage for the team when they face Ulsan Hyundai FC in the group stage of the 2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League competition, tomorrow.
JDT head coach Esteban Solari said although the club would be facing the champions of the K League 1, the players are focused and motivated and know how important the game is for the club.
“So we need to make an extra effort tomorrow, as I said the players are motivated and they know..we have to do better especially on how we have to play in the first minutes of the game because they a tough team.
“We know teams like Ulsan Hyundai FC have strong players and good mentality and we have to face it.
“After the last game with Perak FC, I think we have done good preparation for this game and everybody wants to show in this game we are strong opponents,” he told a press conference at Stadium Sultan Ibrahim, here today.
For Ulsan Hyundai FC, who have just clinched their second consecutive win of thr K League 1 title just a week ago, they have delay their winning celebration of the title as their focus is on the match against JDT, said head coach Hong Myung-bo.
“We did win the K League 1 but we are not yet celebrating. What’s important is for the players to concentrate on the upcoming match.
“This is a very important match to qualify to the next round. Before this it was a home match and now is an away game, so we will need to prepare well for today (training) and for tomorrow’s match,” he said.
On Oct 24, the Korean club beat the Southern Tigers 3-1 in the first round of Group I, which also groups Japanese League (J-League) winners Kawasaki Frontale and Thai champions BG Pathum United. –Bernama
