Buriram United Manager Mark Jackson Confident of Advancing Past Johor Darul Ta'zim to AFC Club Championship Final

Buriram United's head coach Mark Jackson has announced his determination to lead the Thai league representatives past Malaysia's Johor Darul Ta'zim in the 2025-26 AFC Club Championship (SHOPEE CUP) semi-final second leg. The match is scheduled for May 13 at 7:00 PM at Buriram Stadium. During a press conference on May 12, Jackson and team captain Kenneth Dugal addressed the media about their preparation.

Mark Jackson stated: "We want to secure a victory tomorrow, but like every match at this high level of competition, it will always be a difficult game. We performed well in the first leg, but we won't underestimate our opponents. We must focus and deliver an even better performance."

"I'm satisfied with our first-leg performance, but we need to focus and prepare the team well, which is very important. We have our own team preparation methodology, and consistency will help us. We must analyze each player's performance on the opposing team. Johor Darul Ta'zim is a good team, but our approach won't change—we focus on reaching our goal."

"We've discussed the psychological aspect of playing, which is crucial at this level of football. It depends on how we prepare the team, including technique, tactics, and psychology. We try to control everything in our preparation. I believe psychology is very important. We have never lost to anyone in this SHOPEE CUP tournament. With Johor coming to our home, it will be a difficult task, just as it was when we visited their home."

When asked about the pressure of leading the team to the final, Jackson responded: "For a great club like Buriram United, there are already high expectations. As a coach and players, everyone wants to win every match. I'm not afraid—we'll turn this into excitement for such a big game. Of course, a loss would be disappointing, especially in a semi-final. If we lose, it would be a sad feeling. I'm ready to face the pressure before the fans, preparing the team and players well for tomorrow's match."

Team captain Kenneth Dugal stated: "Tomorrow is an important match. We've prepared well and have shown excellent performances in recent games, which gives us confidence. Playing at home and in front of our fans boosts our belief that we'll advance to the final."

"Over the past two seasons, we've met them five times, and they haven't beaten us. I'll try to maintain this record and won't be careless. We'll do our duty to reach the final. Tomorrow, I want to ask the fans to come and cheer for us in large numbers. We'll celebrate together on this field."