Johor Darul Ta’zim beat Kuching City 3-0 to set new mark
The humid night air above Sultan Ibrahim Stadium carried the distinct weight of history. Tens of thousands of voices roared in unison as Johor Darul Ta’zim took the pitch for the Charity Shield, launching another Malaysian Super League campaign. For most clubs, the opening night of a new season is a fresh start: a clean slate. But for the Southern Tigers, it was the culmination of a relentless journey that began over five years prior, in April 2021.
When Marcos Guilherme struck in the 11th minute, slamming the ball home to give JDT an early lead, the stadium erupted not just for the goal, but for the feeling of inevitability it brought. Kuching City fought back valiantly, trying to disrupt the rhythm of a machine that had refused to break through four consecutive undefeated league campaigns.
Down on the touchline, Spanish head coach Xisco Muñoz stood laser-focused, adjusting tactics with crisp precision. Beside him in the director’s box, Club CEO Luis Garcia watched with the practiced eye of a man who had lifted the Champions League trophy in Europe. Garcia knew better than anyone that maintaining dominance on this level required far more than talent: it demanded absolute perfection week after week.
In the second half, JDT turned control into poetry. Oscar Arribas found space and doubled the lead, setting off a wave of red and blue flags across the stands. Minutes later, Shahab Zahedi put the final signature on the night, driving a clinical shot into the net to make it 3-0.
When the final whistle blew, the scoreboard confirmed more than just three points and a Charity Shield victory. It marked match number 109.
With that final whistle, JDT officially surpassed the legendary 108-match unbeaten streak compiled by Ivory Coast’s ASEC Mimosas between 1989 and 1994: a standard that had stood untouched for three decades, which the Malaysian giants had tied just months prior with a breathtaking 14-1 victory to cap off the previous season.
“It’s a proud moment of my career being part of this amazing five-year run that has seen us go 109 matches unbeaten in the league, thus setting a new world record,” Muñoz said, a quiet pride in his voice as confetti drifted down onto the pitch. “Our aim now is to keep this streak going and make the numbers even greater.”
Taking in the celebration, Garcia nodded as the players hoisted the trophy. “I’ve played for and seen many dominant teams during my career in Europe,” Garcia reflected, looking out over the electric crowd, “so I know how tough staying unbeaten can be no matter how strong you are.”
History had been rewritten in Johor, but as the stadium lights slowly dimmed, the Southern Tigers were already looking toward match 110.
