ACL 2022: JDT to play all six group matches on home soil

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 16  -- Reigning Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) received a huge boost ahead of their 2022 AFC Champions League (ACL) campaign.

This follows the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) today announcing Johor Bahru to host the Group I centralised games scheduled from April 15-30, thus giving the Southern Tigers home advantage in completing all six group matches.

JDT, who set an impressive record of winning the Super League title eight times in a row, have been drawn in Group I alongside Japanese League champions Kawasaki Frontale, China’s Guangzhou FC and the winners of the play-off between South Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai and Port FC of Thailand.

The AFC in a statement also confirmed that the centralised matches of three groups - F, G and J - will be played in three different cities in Thailand, namely Buriram, Bangkok and another which will be confirmed in due course, while Group H matches are scheduled to be staged in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

All five groups competed in the ACL East Zone round. In centralised matches bot the home and away legs are played at the host venue.

In the meantime, the AFC said the centralised host nations for the West Zone group stage matches will be announced once finalised.

The 2022 campaign is the Southern Tigers’ fourth appearance in ACL since they made their debut in the most prestigious Asian clubs tournament in 2019.

Last season, the squad coached by Benjamin Mora finished third in Group G, behind Nagoya Grampus of Japan and runners-up Pohang Steelers of South Korea.

-- BERNAMA