The 2017 Charity Shield showdown between Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) and Kedah at the Larkin Stadium on Friday night comes as a first real test for both the team coaches, who are looking to make an instant impression.

New JDT coach Benjamin Mora will especially be eager to start his new role on a winning note, and prove to the Southern Tigers faithful that their team are still the most revered side in the country.

After clinching three titles (Charity Shield, MSL and FA Cup), including an unbeaten run in the league in 2016, JDT have every intention of continuing their stellar performance on the domestic front.

But after losing their top two goalscorers in Jorge Pereyra Diaz and Juan Martin Lucero, in addition to the sudden departure of Mario Gomez on Wednesday, Tan Cheng Hoe's Kedah will feel they are in an ideal position to make an early season statement.

Kedah new striker Ken Ilso opines the Malaysia Cup champions will need to be at their best, to dethrone the reigning league champions.

"JDT are one of the strongest sides in Southeast Asia and cannot be taken lightly at all. I, for one, have been preparing and trying to get as much playing time to prepare for this match," Ilso told ESPN FC.

"But I am raring to make my debut in the MSL, which is a competitive league. I am with a better team now."

JDT have swiftly moved to replace Diaz and Lucero with fellow Argentine strikers Brian Ferreira and Jeronimo Barrales.

Supplementing that forward line is English-born Darren Lok and Ahmad Hazwan Bakri, who completed one of the biggest local transfers when he moved from Selangor.

Kedah, however, will not come into this match as pushovers.

The Canaries have retained the core of their squad from 2016, while signing Ilso, Sandro and Australian Zachary Anderson as their imports for the new season.

Kedah were also one of the few teams to inflict defeat JDT last season when they beat them 2-1 in the FA Cup first-leg semifinals.

The Southern Tigers dispatched them 3-1 in the second leg, and went on to lift their maiden FA Cup title after beating PKNS FC 2-1 in the final.

Ilso could lead the forward line in search of goals, together with Sandro to try and breach the sturdy JDT backline comprising of Aidil Zafuan and Marcos Antonio.

The rest of the 2017 MSL curtain raiser, meanwhile, kicks off on Saturday.

New FIFA Puskas winner Faiz Subri will hog all the attention when he lines up against troubled Selangor at the Selayang Stadium, while MSL runner-up Felda United entertain the visit of PKNS FC.

Other matches see Kelantan hosting Melaka United, while Perak welcome the visit of Pahang.

T-Team host Sarawak in the final first round fixture at the Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah Stadium.

Fixtures

Friday

DT vs. Kedah (Charity Shield)

Saturday

Felda United vs. PKNS FC

Kelantan vs. Melaka United

Selangor vs. Penang

Perak vs. Pahang

T-Team vs. Sarawak

Source:
courtesy of ESPNFC

by NICOLAS ANIL

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