Johor DT’s poor run of form continued as they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Kitchee, putting an end to their 100% record in the AFC Cup.
Bojan Hodak fielded a strong starting eleven, featuring the likes of Safiq Rahim and S. Kunanlan, but the absence of Jorge Diaz and Luciano Figueroa was affecting them from the get go, as they struggled to make an impact on the final third.
Kitchee dominated play in the early stages if the game, spraying passes confidently, while not giving Johor DT any space in the middle of the park. And that ultimately allowed them to break the deadlock halfway through the first half.
Juan Belencoso fired home on the 26th minute, shifting the pressure onto Bojan Hodak’s men. Less than 10 minutes later, Johor DT doubled their lead, courtesy of Tarres Paramo’s goal.
After the break, the Southern Tigers did push and they carved out several chances, particularly through set-piece situations. But Kitchee’s defence remained solid throughout the second half, despite them reducing the tempo, to hold out and secure the win.
The defeat means Johor DT move to second place in their group, on six points, while Kitchee seize the lead with 7 points from their three matches thus far.
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