JOHOR, Malaysia -- It was a first competitive meeting between a team that came from nowhere to dominate Malaysian football for the past decade, and a side from Singapore looking to have a similar trajectory over a prolonged period of time.
The ASEAN Club Championship -- officially known as the 2025-26 Shopee Cup -- was the stage that would serve up a first taste of this heavyweight Causeway clash as a new chapter was written in an age-old rivalry between the two Southeast Asian neighbours.
But if reigning Singapore Premier League champions Lion City Sailors have perfectly played the role of younger brother as the newer kids on the block, showing equal ambition in matching the achievements that have come before them, then Johor Darul Ta'zim -- winners of the Malaysia Super League for the past 11 seasons -- did what older siblings do.
Without much fanfare but almost effortlessly, JDT showed the Sailors they are arguably still the bigger boys as they opened their Group B campaign with a clinical 3-1 victory at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium on Thursday.
There was little style in the display. Just pure efficacy.
By the 16th minute, the Southern Tigers were already two goals ahead thanks to a João Figueiredo double. Given how they rarely relinquish such advantages, the visitors were already facing an uphill battle.
It was not the type of scintillating performance JDT have often put on in the past, both on the domestic front and even when they have made waves as the underdogs in the AFC Champions League Elite -- Asia's premier club competition.
Instead, it seemed like the message from Xisco Muñoz was to simply get the job done with a hectic schedule ahead of them as the new season kicks into gear.
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Once that comfortable lead had been established, JDT were more than comfortable to just retain possession while only probing in the attacking third when the opportunity arose, and yet they did not face much resistance until the break.
Whatever Sailors coach Aleksandar Ranković did however have a desired effect.
The Singaporean outfit played with far greater urgency right at the start of the second half, and created their first meaningful changes of the game.
Bart Ramselaar was at the thick of it all -- unleashing a speculative effort from the edge of the box narrowly wide, before a brilliant turn of pace saw him break through on goal, only for him to opt for a pass that failed to find Song Ui-Young when he was probably better off shooting again.
But those near misses would prove costly. Chances against JDT, especially when they are the favourites, are few and far between.
The Southern Tigers would eventually steady and, in fact, add a third in injury-time through a fine finish from an acute angle by Arif Aiman.
Only after that did the Sailors get their consolation goal. Perhaps the one thing they can shout about from the contest was that Shawal Anuar's unstoppable 25-yard drive was the pick of the bunch of the evening's goals.
Both teams will be title favourites once again this season in their own leagues. On the continental front, they will also be hoping to make an impact in the ACL Elite and AFC Champions League Two respectively.
Based on that footing, the Sailors -- who will be contesting Asia's second tier for another season -- still have a bit of gap to close.
And after Thursday's result in the ASEAN Club Championship, it does seem that JDT remains the bigger brother for now.
At least until their next meeting.