AFC Cup 2018: FourFourTwo comments on the match between Johor DT and SLNA

Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) won convincingly 3-0 at home against Persija Jakarta in the opening match of this year's AFC Cup but in this round, they will face a big challenge when they travel to Vietnam to visit Song Lam Nghe An, a team that also won 2-0 in Singapore against Tampines Rovers two weeks ago.

The Vietnam National Cup champions are aiming for a point, but the Southern Tigers have experience in this tournament every year, having won it in 2015. JDT have won the Malaysia Super League four times in a row and have the upper hand over Song Lam Nghe An, who finished eighth in the V.League last season.

Safawi Rasid celebrates his goal during the match against Persija. Photo: JDT

However, the Malaysian team suffered a bit of a loss when they were no longer led by coach Ulisses Mora. This coach helped JDT play very progressively and achieve quite a lot of success.

Players Hariss Harun and S. Kunanlan did not play against Melaka United and are expected to return to the JDT squad for this match, while Gonzalo Cabrera was not registered to represent Malaysia for the AFC Cup. Meanwhile, SLNA did not have their best player Tran Nguyen Manh due to injury and only registered 1 foreign striker from Nigeria, Michael Olaha.

Notable players:

Safiq Rahim:The JDT captain has faced criticism in Malaysia in recent times, largely due to his lack of interest in the national team, but his class remains. Safiq was arguably JDT’s best player in the 5-2 defeat to Muangthong United in the AFC Champions League in January and the win over Persija.

Michael Olaha:While players like Ho Khac Ngoc and Vo Ngoc Toan commanded the SLNA midfield against Tampines, it was the Nigerian who was the most dangerous player. The 21-year-old striker is not a prolific scorer, but he is very effective and has a wide range of activities.

SLNA welcomed JDT with only one foreign striker, Olaha. Photo courtesy

Numbers and statistics:

JDT has 4 foreign players while Olaha is SLNA's only foreign player.

JDT have qualified for the knockout stages at least four times in the AFC Cup, while SLNA failed to get past the group stage in 2012.

SLNA lost 1-0 to Terengganu at home and 6-2 the last time they faced Malaysian sides, while JDT have never faced a Vietnamese side in the AFC Cup.

JDT have won just once in their last six AFC Cup matches, losing three and drawing the other two.

The cold weather in Nghe An will be something that the away team must keep in mind when coming here to compete.

Prediction: SLNA 1-2 JDT

Coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh: "SLNA is preparing quite well for V.League 2018"

(Baonghean.vn) - Although SLNA lost to Quang Nam in the National Super Cup match on February 24, football expert - Coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh still highly appreciated the preparation of Coach Nguyen Duc Thang and his team before the new season.