Let’s be reasonable, shall we?
Johor DT have been brilliant in the AFC Cup this year – that’s a given and no one will contest that statement. But can they continue their rampant form against Al-Qadsia? Probably not. Can they seal an unprecedented win? Yes, by all means. A narrow win sounds very possible, but realistically, it won’t get better than that.
Al-Qadsia are the reigning AFC Cup champions, and they have made the final of the competition in the last two years – and they’ll be looking to make it three this time.
The one minor advantage on JDT’s side is the fact that they are playing away from home first. We know how impressive the Southern Tigers can be, when they play in front of their boisterous home fans, so it’s probably a good thing that the second leg will be played in Larkin.
But for the second leg to have any tangible meaning, there’s plenty of work for Mario Gomez and his men to do in the first leg. This will be a tactical battle, more than anything, and there are three important battles that could ultimately determine the outcome of the match.
MARCOS ANTONIO vs BADER AL MUTAWA
As much as Luciano Figueroa and his fellow attackers have earned plaudits for taking JDT this far, Marcos Antonio’s influence on the team is due in no small part. The Brazilian defender has been rock solid, and his experience has allowed them to deal with most of the foreign opposition they’ve come across in the competition thus far, including South China. But against Qadsia, the tempo will inevitably multiply. Marcos will be tasked with nullifying the threat posed by Bader Al Mutawa, who is arguably one of the most influential players in Kuwait. He’s scored 51 goals for the Kuwait National Football Team and was voted the 3rd best Asian footballer in 2010. If Marcos struggles tonight, chances are that Al Mutawa would run rampant, which will effectively end JDT’s hopes.
LEANDRO VELAZQUEZ vs RASHID SUMAILA
With Luciano Figueroa suspended for both legs, after picking up a straight red card against South China, the goalscoring burden will now be placed upon the shoulders of Argentinean forward, Leandro Velazquez. On the positive side of things, he’s looked promising for them in the AFC Cup thus far, but on the negative side, he probably lacks match fitness, considering that he isn’t part of the JDT squad that’s competing in the Malaysia Cup. But tonight, he’ll up against an experienced defender in the form of Rashid Sumaila. The 22 year-old defender is extremely powerful and his reading of the game is immaculate, despite his young age. With Khaled Al Qahtani set to miss this tie through an injury, Rashid will certainly be called upon to keep their defence tight. In fact, he even featured in their 3-1 win over the Kuwaiti U-23 team last week, scoring one goal in the process. It’ll be crucial for JDT to nick an away goal in this one, but it will purely depend on whether Leandro is able to turn on the style against Rashid.
HARISS HARUN vs SEYDOUBA SOUMAH
To be frank, this is perhaps the most important battle, as far as both sides are concerned. Junior Eldstal’s injury means that Hariss’ role in this game becomes a lot more important. As usual, he will be sitting deep, forming a protective membrane over their defence. But in Seydouba Soumah, he’ll be up against a powerful as well as experienced midfielder. Though aged 24, Seydouba already has Europa League experience, having previously featured for Slovan Bratislava. The Guinean midfielder loves running forward with the ball, and won’t hesitate when it comes to taking his chances from outside the box. Hariss will need to keep a close eye on this man, and shackle his offensive forays. It wouldn’t be a surprise if JDT opt to park the bus tonight, but the efficacy of their plan will largely depend on the outcome of this particular battle.
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