ISKANDAR PUTERI, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) head coach Xisco Muñoz has urged for greater consistency and defensive discipline from his players despite their 5-3 victory over Negeri Sembilan FC in a thrilling Malaysia Super League encounter at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium last night.
Muñoz acknowledged that JDT started the match sluggishly, conceding early transitions that exposed defensive vulnerabilities.
“Today we were sleeping a little bit in the first minutes and gave them space to score from transitions… we need to be more consistent, stronger in both areas, and prioritise clean sheets,” he said in a post-match press conference last night.
The Spaniard emphasised the importance of learning from such situations and adapting as the league progresses.
“I think we are just now in the first part of the league. So, we need to learn about the situations. We need to understand what to do when we play at home, when we play away, what happens in the first minutes, and we need to be aggressive,” Muñoz added.
Muñoz pointed out that Negeri Sembilan took advantage of their speed down the wide channels, catching JDT off guard in defending quick set-pieces and fast transitions.
“The first goal came from a transition… they have great pace along the flanks, and we prepared for such situations in training,” he said, adding that the team was slow in defending the later goals.
He also called for greater composure in attack, emphasising the need for his players to stay calmer in the final third to make better decisions.
Despite conceding three goals, he praised JDT’s attacking performance, highlighting their 25 shots, numerous corners earned, and two goals scored from set pieces.
Standout performers included Jon Irazabal, who scored twice to spark the comeback, alongside Joao Figueiredo and Arif Aiman Mohd Hanapi. Substitute Bergson da Silva then sealed the victory with a stunning finish in extra time.
The team’s spirited display was energised by passionate home support, although Muñoz noted that attendance was affected by workday schedules.
“I hope the next game, maybe we will have more people supporting us,” he said.
-- BERNAMA
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