JOHOR BARU: Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) head coach Hector Bidoglio was left to rue wasted chances after a 1-0 loss to China's Shandong Taishan in an AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE) East Zone match yesterday.
While the Southern Tigers' attack was blunt, Shandong did just enough, getting the winner through Brazilian Zeca in the 68th minute at the Jinan Olympic Stadium.
However, Bidoglio said he was satisfied with his team's performance, highlighting JDT's 67 per cent possession and eight shots on target.
The Argentine coach said football is unpredictable and praised JDT for their control and character, even under the challenging cold weather.
"JDT played well, but we couldn't score despite creating many chances. That's football. We dominated the attack and displayed our playing style throughout the match," said Bidoglio.
"We managed to control the ball and worked well from both wings. However, the opposing team's compact defence made it difficult for us to penetrate and create scoring opportunities.
"While the result is disappointing, the quality of play from JDT's starting eleven was commendable."
JDT are currently fifth among 12 teams in the ACLE with seven points. Only the top eight teams qualify for the round of 16.
JDT will next host Thailand's Buriram United at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium on Dec 3. Their remaining two ACLE matches are against Australia's Central Coast Mariners on Feb 11 and South Korea's Pohang Steelers on Feb 18.