BURIRAM, Thailand -- For two clubs who both have respective claims to being the biggest club in Southeast Asian football, the form guide between Buriram United and Johor Darul Ta'zim is strangely lopsided.
In five meetings, which have all come since 2024, Buriram are yet to taste defeat against JDT.
In the ever-intensifying rivalry between the 12-time consecutive Malaysia Super League champions and the team who have won the past five Thai League 1 titles, it is the latter who hold the edge with three wins and two draws.
The most recent 3-1 victory, which came last week in the first leg of the ASEAN Club Championship semifinals, means it is Buriram who head into Wednesday's return encounter at Chang Arena with one foot in the decider of the tournament -- officially known as the 2025-26 Shopee Cup.
It is rather peculiar Buriram currently enjoy such an edge over JDT considering the two teams do seem evenly matched, on paper at least, and having both reached the knockout round of the AFC Champions League Elite in the past two seasons.
But as long as this also poses a mental barrier for JDT, Buriram vice-captain Kenny Dougall is hoping long may it continue -- starting with their next duel.
"There's obviously history between the two clubs," replied Dougall, when asked by ESPN about the potential significance of their head-to-head record.
"We've played five times over the last two seasons and they've yet to beat us.
"Obviously, that can't go on forever. But, as long as I'm here, the goal is to keep that record.
"There's obviously a fine line between being confident and knowing we've got the number on them at the moment, and complacency.
"And our job for tomorrow is to not be complacent, to do our jobs and to get through to the final."
Buriram also tasted success in the tournament last season, when they defeated Vietnam's Công An Hà Nội on penalties after a thrilling two-legged final ended 5-5 on aggregate.
Considering all the success Buriram have achieved, the pressure is always on any coach that takes over the hot seat - including current boss Mark Jackson.
Having taken over in October, Jackson has successfully retained their league title but they will be no repeat of last season's quadruple after they were eliminated from the FA Cup semifinals -- although obviously the ASEAN Club Championship, as well as the Thai League Cup, remain within reach.
Even if the minimum expectation is such a lofty target of retaining whatever silverware they had claimed the previous season, Jackson remains unfazed by the standards to meet at a club of this stature.
"Of course, there's an expectation always at a club the size of Buriram," said Jackson, who previously tasted success in the A-League with Central Coast Mariners.
"Again, as a coach, as a player, you want to be at those football clubs -- so there's no fear with that.
"We can turn it into an excitement that we know we're going to be competing in competitions and big games like these.
"Of course, when we lose any game, it's a disappointment. When you get to a game like this -- a semifinal -- if you're going to lose then of course it's going to hurt.
"That's why we do everything we can to prepare the players. The players do everything they can to understand what we want to do -- and then you're hoping that is the right thing to get the result.
"We're not worried about the pressure. We welcome it and we're just excited to play here in such a big game in front of our fans."