PETALING JAYA: Malaysia Cup holders Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT), despite a comfortable lead, will not take their foot off the pedal when they host Perak in the semi-final second leg at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri tonight.
JDT coach Esteban Solari said there is no such thing as a comfortable situation even though the Southern Tigers beat Perak 4-1 in the first leg on Oct 19.
“The players can’t afford to relax. They need to stay focused as our aim is to win it and reserve a slot for the final in front of our own supporters,” he said.
“Like I said before, we usually focus on one game at a time because it’s our motivation for the next game.
“In this regard, our focus at the moment is to get through the match with Perak on a winning note. We want to give the best performance to qualify for the final.
“It is important for JDT to stay consistent, motivated and play with full energy not only for this match (semi-final), but also for the upcoming matches.’’
Commenting on JDT’s preparation, the Argentine-born manager said everything is smooth and the players are also eager to face Perak.
“Every day we try to be the best team and this is something that is often emphasised so that this team can continue to be the best team in the country,” Solari stressed.
Meanwhile, Perak coach Yusri Che Lah said they will field the best 11 to face JDT at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium.
“We rested several key players in the recent Super League matches to ensure they will be at their best when playing at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium.
“We are behind by three goals but I think the players are capable of doing something in an effort to achieve a positive result.
“We don’t want to give up just like that,” he said.