JDT AIM TO CAP PERFECT SEASON BY WINNING MALAYSIA CUP

KUALA LUMPUR, April 25 (Bernama) -- Super League and FA Cup champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) are aiming to cap their season by winning their fifth Malaysia Cup title when they square off against Sri Pahang FC in tomorrow’s final at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil here.

JDT head coach Hector Bidoglio said tomorrow’s final is a crucial match and that his team must maintain the positive momentum they have built since the start of the season.

“It's very important game, my players have been working very well all the season. We have very long season, the players have been working all the time and in a great form.

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“So, we need to keep our moment and tomorrow we have the last game. A very important game for the club. We need to finish this season in the best way possible,” the 57-year-old Argentine said at a pre-match press conference here, today.

While he was pleased with the team’s progress throughout the season, he pointed out that the final presented a unique challenge that demanded full commitment from every player.

“I am happy to follow the JDT idea, philosophy and our boss' idea. I am sure that we are in a good moment. The players are in a good moment but tomorrow is a final. A final is a difficult game. We need to put focus and we need to put our 100 per cent because Sri Pahang is a very good team.

“I don't like to speak about the rival. I don't like to speak about the players of another team. Obviously, I analyse the rival. I analyse the individual skill of the player's rival but only I want to speak about my team and my players,” he added.

JDT captain Natxo Insa meanwhile described tomorrow’s final as a completely different kind of challenge, stressing that the team must rise to the occasion and stay true to their identity.

“The final is a totally different game. We know Sri Pahang have experience in this competition. It's the big teams in the country. So even that, we know we have the responsibility to defend JDT, defend the records, defend our style, defend everything.

“We are in a long season, doing very well. So, we want to finish in the way we are doing. That's all I know,” said the player, who has won four Malaysia Cup titles with JDT since 2017 including consecutive wins in 2022 and 2023.

The last time JDT and Sri Pahang met in the Malaysia Cup final was in 2014, when JDT lost 3-5 in a penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw, but JDT currently has the advantage as they have beaten Sri Pahang twice - 3-0 and 3-1 - in this Super League season.

-- BERNAMA