JOHOR BAHRU: Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) officially received their Charity Shield trophy before securing their second win of the new Super League season by overcoming Negri Sembilan 3-1 at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium here on Saturday.
JDT won the Charity Shield without breaking a sweat following Selangor's withdrawal from the match, subsequently being awarded a 3-0 win.
JDT coach Hector Bidoglio is optimistic that his team will improve after the tough victory over Negri.
The Argentine-born coach acknowledged the challenge of maintaining consistency, as players are often cautious to avoid mistakes. However, he is confident that despite the difficulties faced during the match, his players will improve as the season progresses.
"It was a tough match because the opponents were compact. We needed more patience to find open space. However, I believe the team will get better after this, as is often the case with the first match," he told Berita Harian Sports.
"We need to work hard to create more effective set pieces. Every player understands their roles, and we will also rotate players according to tactical suitability throughout the season," he added.
On the unavailability of Arif Aiman Hanapi, Bidoglio disclosed that the winger has a minor injury.
"Arif has a slight injury problem, and we rested him. We need to prove that we can play as a team and not rely on individuals," he added.
JDT's Bergson Da Silva scored twice, finding the net in the 12th and 17th minutes.
However, Hein Htet Aung reduced the deficit for Negri in the 28th minute. Jordi Amat scored JDT's third goal in the 71st minute, securing another three points for the team.