Pahang Rangers v JDT: What They Said

Here are the thoughts of Pahang Rangers coach Eloy Alonso.

Q. Well played tonight, how happy are you with that performance?

Thank you so much. The first congrats for all the team for this performance, for their work in the last months, thinking about games like today. And the team today was an amazing performance. This is a competition in high level and we compete very, very, very good. Johor, we know that is an amazing team, amazing team, one team building for to be champions. And today I'm so happy, I'm so proud of my players. In this game we played in top level. In the second half, we won 2-1 for us. We have many, many chances, and finally this score, this 4-2, that for us is amazing, and is for us to continue working in the same way. Now, enjoy the game, recovery, and thinking in the next game.

Q. How important is this result for the team's confidence for the second leg in Pasir Gudang?

Yes, exactly. For our confidence, it's amazing. It's amazing, this score. And it's the first game in the semi-final. So now for us, this is for build our job, for continue working in the same way, because we know the results now, and it's very good for us, for push to continue working and working, thinking in the second game.

This was the view of JDT coach Joao Almeida after the first leg.

Q. What is your assessment of the game tonight?

First, we need to score the opportunities we create. And then we want to unlock some moments of the game, but we need to be more clinical. We need to be more...The first goal, we cannot concede. The first goal, we cannot concede. Our defensive recovery was slow. But learn with the mistakes and go with everything for the next game. This is half-time now.

Q. What do you expect Pahang to do differently in the second leg?

No, Pahang is a very strong team with very good players. But we need to be ready for what they create. We were ready, but we cannot concede the first goal as we conceded, we cannot concede the second goal as we conceded. The game moment was for us, and we lost the goals that we created, and then we allowed them to score in the situations they scored. We need to make sure that the game goes in our way, control better emotionally the game, because this is the game. We need to be emotionally strong.

Q. What will be your strategy for the second leg?

We will fight with everything. We will put everything in the game, and we have the responsibility to win. We have to win if we want to win the final. Before, we have to win to win the final. It's the same. We have to win.