Johor DT made it two wins out of two matches in the AFC Cup after completing a dramatic victory over Balestier Khalsa at the Jalan Besar Stadium.
Bojan Hodak rang the changes, opting for a starting eleven that was completely made up of local players, with Hariss Harun on the bench. But they definitely started well, spreading play effectively and looking confident on the artificial turf.
Amer Saidin fired a free kick above the bar early on, before Junior Eldstal’s shot went way off target on the 20th minute. Three minutes later, Nazrin produced a sensational cross into the box, but Amri’s failed to get his header on target.
Fadhil then tried to get the ball into Johor’s penalty box, but Junior cleared it effectively. Nazrin and Safee Sali had a couple of half-chances, but neither of them could convert effectively as the game went into half time 0-0.
After the break, the home side applied more pressure on the offensive, but they appeared extremely incoherent inside the box. Fadhil was relatively active on the flanks, but some of his crosses failed to find anyone within the Johor DT six yard area, allowing the away side to comfortably clear.
Balestier had a golden chance on the 68th minute, as Kristic jinked past Daudsu to cross into the box, but Fadhil fired his attempt over the bar.
Both sides had their fair share of chances in the last 20 minutes, and Johor DT came close to taking the lead through Hariss Harun, only for him to blast it over the bar.
Just when it looked like the game was destined to be a goalless draw, Asraruddin converted Hariss Harun’s assist three minutes into stoppage time, sending their fans into rapture!
The victory means that Johor are now on six points in Group D of the AFC Cup, scoring a total of five goals while conceding only one.
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