Johor Baru: When Gabriel Guerra put Johor Darul Ta’zim ahead just three minutes into their meeting with Cambodia’s Beoungket Angkor, it looked like the Argentinian would be a key factor in the 2015 AFC Cup champions picking up their first win of the new campaign.
JDT were outclassed in their failed attempt to qualify for the group stages of the AFC Champions League by former Asian champions Gamba Osaka, but against the Cambodians, Benjamin Mora’s team were always in control.
But while it was Guerra who helped JDT on their way to a winning start to the 2017 AFC Cup as he swept the ball into the top corner of Sou Yaty’s goal, it was midfielder Safiq Rahim (pictured left) who was once again at the heart of everything positive for the Malaysian champions.
Safiq’s presence in midfield allowed JDT to dictate the game and, over the course of the 90 minutes, he bordered on imperious against a Beoungket side who were unable to handle the range and accuracy of his passing.
A 94.3 percent completion rate from 122 attempted passes is impressive in itself, but that he was almost as accurate when inside the Cambodian side’s half – with a completion rate of 89.4 percent – highlights that Safiq’s job was being done where and when it mattered.
It helped that JDT were rarely under pressure, with Muhammad Nazmi’s second – which saw him slide the ball into the bottom corner after a searing run down the left by S. Kunanlan – for his team after 11 minutes ensuring Mora’s team could relax and take control of the tie in front of their own fans.
That allowed Safiq and his team mates the luxury of being in charge for the remaining 79 minutes, and with a possession rate of almost 81 percent throughout the game, JDT’s dominance was complete.
With such a gap between the teams and JDT’s 19 attempts at goal, Mora would have been disappointed his team was unable to further press home their advantage, but in the dying minutes Safiq rounded out his performance with his side’s third goal, the captain completing a showing worthy of his stature within the team by heading home from close range.
Photo: Lagardère Sports
Source: the-afc.com