Johor Darul Ta’zim take an unbeaten run to Jeonju, built on second-half goals

Johor Darul Ta’zim play Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors at the Jeonju World Cup Stadium on 3 November, in round 4 of the league stage of the AFC Champions League. They have not lost a match in the competition this season.

How the unbeaten run was built

The start was the slowest part of it. At home to Buriram United on 15 September, Oscar Arribas scored in the 26th minute from Marcos Guilherme’s pass, and Stefan Schimmer equalised for the visitors in the 43rd minute; it finished 1-1.

The first win came at Pohang Steelers on 13 October. Marcos Guilherme scored in the 49th minute, set up by Shahab Zahedi, and again in the 89th minute. That 2-0 win was the first of two clean sheets in a row. Utusan Malaysia reported that Xisco Munoz, the coach, was pleased after his side won away from home against the South Korean club.

Then came Port FC at home on 27 October. Jonathan Silva scored in the 53rd minute from Arif Aiman bin Mohd Hanapi’s pass, Bergson Gustavo Silveira da Silva added a second in the 62nd minute from Oscar Arribas’s pass, and Stoichkov made it 3-0 in the 86th minute, set up by Matías Nahuel. Utusan Malaysia reported the win as an East Zone match played at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium.

Away from the continent, the run has company. Stadium Astro reported that after six rounds of the 2026/27 Malaysia Super League, Johor Darul Ta’zim and Selangor FC were the only sides still without a defeat.

What the results say about this side

The pattern in the last two matches is hard to miss. Every goal Johor Darul Ta’zim scored in Pohang and against Port FC came after half-time. In Pohang they scored in the 49th and 89th minutes. Against Port FC the goals came in the 53rd, 62nd and 86th minutes. The only goal they have conceded in the competition came in the 43rd minute against Buriram United.

The goals have also come from several directions. Marcos Guilherme has the two in Pohang and the pass for the opener against Buriram United. Oscar Arribas scored one and set up another. Against Port FC, three different players scored.

So which half of the Jeonju match matters more? The results point to the first.

What will decide it

The first reason is the ball. Utusan Malaysia reported Munoz as saying that holding on to it is very important in hard games, so that the team’s attacks run more smoothly. He said it in the same report as his reaction to the win in Pohang, the one away match of this league stage so far. StraitScore’s judgement is that the same plan is the right one in Jeonju: a side that keeps the ball spends less of the match without it.

The second reason is the opening 45 minutes. In all three matches so far, Johor Darul Ta’zim have been level or ahead at half-time, and the only goal against them came before the break. Their scoring in the two wins has come after it. A side whose goals arrive after the break needs the first half to stay quiet.

StraitScore’s view: the visitors’ record says they do their best work after the interval, so the match turns on whether they reach half-time still in it. Later in November and December, Johor Darul Ta’zim visit Ratchaburi on 24 November and host Daejeon Hana Citizen on 1 December.

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Johor Darul Ta’zim kick off at the Jeonju World Cup Stadium in South Korea on 3 November at 6pm Malaysian time.