Johor DT may have faced Bengaluru in the group stages of the AFC Cup earlier this year, but ahead of their semi-final clash tonight, Mario Gomez believes circumstances have changed significantly.
The Southern Tigers clinched a comprehensive 3-0 home win as well as a narrow 2-1 away win over the Indian side earlier this year and you’d expect notes from those games to be useful this time around. But Gomez explained why he’s studied them all over again, over the past few days.
“We’ll be facing a different squad, compared to the one we defeated twice during the group stages. In fact, they’ve even changed their formation,” Gomez told reporters at a press conference yesterday.
“Previously, they were proponents of the 5-3-2 formation. But these days, I’ve noticed they use a 4-4-2 formation, which fits the style we love to use here at Johor DT as well,” he added.
Bengaluru’s shift in formation seems to have added balance into their team shape on the continental stage. Despite conceding two goals against Kitchee FC, they managed to score three and win 3-2, before going to to keep a clean sheet over two legs against a star-studded Tampines Rovers side in the semi-finals.
Johor DT fans, what are your thoughts on tonight’s AFC Cup clash? Will Bengaluru pull off an upset? Or will be another comfortable home match the Southern Tigers?
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