The first leg of this clash provided insane amount of end-to-end action, as we saw seven goals being fired throughout the 90 minutes, with Felda seizing a 4-3 win on the day. It was amazing, but at the same a little bit surprising, considering that Johor DT have been in rampant mode this year.
We all know what Felda is capable of, and we also knew that they would present a significant challenge to the Southern Tigers. But the manner in which they dominated the first half last Monday, probably sent shivers down Bojan’s spine. He knows the second leg will be crucial and he knows that Johor DT will have his the ground running from the get go. And as we build up to what should be an enthralling affair between both sides, here are 5 things to expect from this particular game.
1. Luciano Figueroa to start
The Argentine forward isn’t exactly the sort of blockbuster character on and off the pitch, but he definitely gets the job done effectively on the final third. Look at his stats, and you’ll know what I mean. Norshahrul struggled to find spaces in between the Felda defence during the first leg, but Figueroa’s introduction was a game-changing one and he went on to bag a goal in the process as well. Considering that Felda will be keeping a tight defensive line, Bojan will need Lucho’s ability to work in close spaces this weekend. I’d be surprised if he doesn’t start the game.
2. Felda United to mark Jorge Diaz closely
Now while Lucho will certainly be a much-needed impetus on their forward line, Felda will also be wary of the threat posed by another Argentinean, Jorge Diaz. With a 4-3 lead in the bag, Irfan will have to be tactically smart in his approach. While he’s predominantly used the zonal marking system all this while, you could expect him to shift and man-mark Diaz to mitigate and minimize his influences on the flanks. What he does brilliantly is glide on the byline, before cutting in and penetrating through the opposition defence. Keep him at bay, and Felda would have accomplished a large chunk of the mission.
3. Attacking football from Irfan Bakti’s side
There are two evident and clear explanations for this. First and foremost, it’s not in the best interest for Felda to maintain a conservative approach, considering the slim lead they have on aggregate. Bojan’s men also have a slight benefit in terms of away goals, as they fired three past Felda in the first leg. Irfan’s men would have to go gung-ho and hunt their fair share of away goals as well. But secondly, Irfan has always been prioritized attacking football with all his teams. Even when they were 4-0 up against Selangor after the first leg, Felda came on firing on all cylinders in the second leg, which eventually ended 3-3. With the pace of Edward Wilson and Makache all available at his disposal, Felda should be gunning goal goals at Larkin.
4. Nazrin Nawi to have more space on the flanks
Despite Diaz and Lucho finding the back of the net in the first leg, Nazrin Nawi was arguably the most exciting player on the pitch. He was dazzling through the flanks, and carved out quite a number of opportunities for the Southern Tigers. But having said that, his influence was hampered to a certain extent by the hardworking Syamim Yahya, who tracked back to help the Felda defence in containing Nazrin’s threat via the wings. Syamim is now suspended for the second leg, and though Irfan claims to have back ups who are more than capable of carrying the mantle, there’s no denying the possibility of Nazrin having more space to work with this weekend.
5. 12th man to play massive role
As with all knockout games, nerves will begin to wreck as the matches progress into the last 10 minutes. Assuming that Felda hold their fort for most of the affair, their problems will only amplify on the 80th minute mark. The atmosphere at Larkin is second to none, and Johor DT themselves have always had a knack of doing well under the influence of boisterous support. There’s plenty of experience in the Felda side to cope with pressure on the day, but the stadium oozing in passion, one mistake could be devastatingly fatal.
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