Johor Baru: Former AFC Cup winners Johor Darul Ta’zim kicked off their attempt to reclaim the continental title with a comfortable 3-0 win over Cambodia’s Beoungket Angkor at Stadium Dan Sri Dato’ Haji Yunos on Tuesday.
Gabriel Guerra gave the 2015 champions the lead after just three minutes when he slammed the ball into the top corner from just ten yards out, and eight minutes later the club from southern Malaysia had doubled their lead after Muhammad Nazmi slotted his shot low and to goalkeeper Sou Yaty’s right.
Beoungket tried to pull themselves back into the game – with Tomoki Muramatsu particularly lively – but JDT maintained control throughout and sealed the three points when Safiq Rahim headed home late in the game.
In the West and ASEAN Zones, each group winner and the best second-placed club among the three groups (total four teams) will qualify for the zonal semi-finals. A West Zone final will be held to determine the region’s representative for the AFC Cup final. There will also be inter-zone play-offs between the champions of the ASEAN, Central, South and East Zones. The winner of the inter-zone play-offs will then take on the West Zone representative in the final of the AFC Cup.
Source: the-afc.com