Dushanbe: Safiq Rahim, the 2015 AFC Cup’s Most Valuable Player, lauded his Johor Darul Ta’zim team mates after the club became the first from Malaysia to claim a continental title.
Safiq was named the MVP after an impressive all-round performance in midfield that saw the Malaysia international deliver the crucial corner from which Leandro Velazquez scored the only goal of the game.
“I am happy with our victory,” said the 28-year-old. “We made great work together with teammates and coaching staff. It’s great for me that I’ve been chosen MVP for the tournament. But the most important thing is the team and the trophy.”
Johor were the first Malaysian team to appear in the final of continental competition since Selangor qualified for the inaugural Asian Club Championship final back in 1967.
On that occasion the Malaysian side ended up on the wrong side of a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Israel’s Hapoel Tel Aviv, but Velazquez’s goal and an impressive defensive performance by the JDT backline ensured the trophy would go back to the South East Asian nation.
“I am proud of how we worked and won the title tonight,” added Safiq.
“Both teams put on a good game, but we kept our focus until the end of the match and we won the AFC Cup.”
Two players were tied at the top of the Top Scorers chart, meanwhile, with South China’s Australian striker Daniel McBreen and Riste Naumov of Myanmar’s Ayeyawady United both scoring eight goals to finish two goals ahead of Pahang’s Dickson Nwakaeme. Johor’s Luciano Figueroa was one of six players to score five goals.
