Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) began the 2023 season in style by defeating Terengganu FC (TFC) 2-0 in the Charity Shield match to clinch the Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Cup for the sixth time in a row at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri tonight.

The match, which also acts as the season opener for the M-League, saw JDT take all three points as they get the ball rolling in their quest for a tenth consecutive Super League title.

The Southern Tigers scored a goal in each half through Juan Muniz in the fifth minute and Bergson da Silva in the 55th minute.

It didn’t take long for JDT, under the guidance of new coach Esteban Solari of Argentina, to explode into life as Spaniard Muniz introduced himself to local football fans with a brilliant header off a cross from Bergson.

Solari’s men then dominated the proceedings with a slick performance and could have doubled their lead in the 37th minute when Brazilian Bergson beat the offside trap but could not get the better of TFC goalkeeper Suhaimi Husin.

The visitors, who fielded their two foreign signings – Thai sensation Adisak Kraisorn and Croatian Ivan Mamut – struggled to get their game going and failed to breach the JDT defence in the first half.

After the break, Arif Aiman Hanapi, the 2022 National Football Awards Most Valuable Player, missed a glorious chance to extend JDT’s lead when he beat three players in the box before shooting straight at Suhaimi.

But JDT were not to be denied a second goal as Bergson struck in the 55th minute, with the Brazilian cooly using his knee to slot the ball home off a cross from Arif Aiman.

The JDT players, officials and supporters erupted with joy at the final whistle, knowing they had captured the Charity Shield for the eighth time since 2015.

Terengganu, coached by Croatian Tomislav Steinbruckner, were played off the park by JDT and will have to go back to the drawing board to fix their shortcomings for the long season ahead.