Going into their final AFC Cup group game against Magwe FC, Johor Darul Ta'zim could accept no other result than a win if they wanted to progress to the ASEAN zone semifinals. Even then, the situation was not straightforward. Group F leaders Global FC needed just a win to finish as group topper, which they did.
This meant Johor required a win to at least stand a chance of qualifying as the best second-placed team. But all their worries were put to rest when they defeated Magwe 3-1 and secured a position in the next round as the best second-placed team, all thanks to a marvellous hat-trick from Gabriel Miguel Guerra.
AFC Cup: Johor Darul Ta'zim, Ceres Negros qualify
The 24-year-old striker came to his own after Magwe took a surprise lead on the night, leading to fears that Johor might be in for a disappointing night. The equaliser from Guerra, an absolutely fantastic strike from 25 yards, came in the 15th minute.
The Argentine would go on to score a well-placed header, showcasing his striker's instincts and guile to place it just out of reach of the Magwe custodian. He would complete the scoring and nail his hat-trick from the spot in the 79th minute to seal the win for Johor Darul Ta'zim.
Guerra was heavily involved in the build-up play on the night and enjoyed 85 touches of the ball. He won a commendable 69% of the duels he got into with the opposition defenders and had a superb passing accuracy of 93% with 56 passes completed.
In short, he was too hot to handle on the night for Magwe FC. His goalscoring expertise and impact in a crucial game make him our Asian Player of the Week.
Congrats, Gabriel!
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