Goal machine: JDT’s Bergson Da Silva (left) is hugged by teammates after scoring against Kelantan United. — Bernama
PETALING JAYA: Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) coach Esteban Solari is thrilled that his charges have kept their mojo intact despite a two-week break in the Super League due to the SEA Games.
The champions trounced Kelantan United 6-0 at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri for their 10th straight win on Saturday.
Solari was so delighted with the display that he even joked that Brazilian hattrick hero Bergson Da Silva and his Argentinian strike partner Fernando Forestieri, who scored a brace, were a ‘’great couple.’’
“To me, these two can break down any defence when they are on song,’’ gushed Solari.
‘’They combined well, even though they have different styles of play. Bergson is a devastating finisher, while Fernando, who’s finishing is also brilliant, also loves providing the passes.’’
Solari said that they had a ‘’mini pre-season’’ during the two-week to ensure the players stayed sharp.
“We were a bit concerned that the break could disrupt our momentum, but the players continued the hard work at training. We even had a mini pre-season where the players competed among themselves to stay motivated.
‘’The result of their effort can be seen in the big win over Kelantan United. Now, the boys are motivated to score even more goals in the coming games.’’
Against Kelantan United, Da Silva struck thrice in the eighth, 61st and 69th minutes, while Forestieri’s double came in the 22nd and 92nd minutes.
Argentinian midfielder Leandro Velasquez was also on target in the 76th minute.
JDT have now scored a whopping 43 goals and conceded just one in 10 games.
