JP\/10\/PSSI<\/p>\n
By Dwiatmanta<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The country's most frenzied footballing
\nextravaganza is going to get even wilder when Western division
\nteams are pitted against their Eastside rivals in today's
\nsemifinals, with Bandung and Surabaya set for a renewed arch
\nrivalry in Sunday's grand final.<\/p>\n
Bandung, which is favored to win the intercity amateur soccer
\nsupremacy, took a commanding lead after Group K preliminary round
\nmatches. It will simply has to maintain its composure today to
\ntame host Jakarta which is an unpopular underdog despite the fact
\nthat they will playing on their home turf. Bandung held 3-0 and
\n2-2 records in its round-robin qualifying round battle against
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
Surabaya emerges as Bandung's real challenger when it survived
\na tooth and nail fight in Group L. Losing 1-0 to Jakarta,
\nSurabaya fought its way back to dash Medan's dreams of reaching
\nthe semifinals with a 2-1 win. The victory over Medan will indeed
\nbe more than morale booster for the East Javanese side to repeat
\nits 2-0 victory over PSM Ujungpandang in the East Division
\nqualifying round.<\/p>\n
If everything goes as expected, Bandung will continue its
\nhistory of envy of Surabaya. Yongky Kastanya and company last
\nnipped Robby Darwis-led Bandung squad 2-1 to grab the third place
\nin 1992 which saw Ujungpandang take the 26-year-awaited title by
\nsinking Medan 2-1.<\/p>\n
A victory in the play-off match two years ago, however, could
\nnot console the team for Surabaya's 0-2 defeat at the hand of
\nBandung in the 1990 grand final.<\/p>\n
\"We are not we were in 1990,\" Bandung assistant manager
\nWardaya said, adding that his side is now without most of players
\nwho helped take the championship title twice in 1986 and 1990.<\/p>\n
But Bandung has already shown their skill. Banking on the
\nsolid trio of Sutiono, who has blasted season-high 11 goals so
\nfar, Kekey Zakaria and Yusuf Bachtiar in the front line, hard-
\nworking midfielder Yudi Guntara and elegant stopper Robby Darwis,
\nBandung made a relatively easy passage to the semifinals.<\/p>\n
They were unbeaten in Group K, only accepting a goalless draw
\nagainst Ujungpandang in their energy-saving match on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\"We're avoiding being over confident,\" coach Indra Tohir said.
\nHe indicated, however, that he would make his players keep on
\ntheir pressure in today's clash.<\/p>\n
Match rigging<\/p>\n
While Bandung convincingly finished first in its West division
\nqualifying round, Surabaya's celebration of becoming the East
\ndivision leader was tarnished with a match rigging. The 1988
\nchampion surprisingly conceded a 1-3 home defeat to neighbor
\nPersegres Gresik, which paved Gresik's way to the Senayan stadium
\nat the interest of PSIS Semarang.<\/p>\n
The All Indonesia Football Association (PSSI) banned Agil Ali,
\nthen Surabaya manager, for a year and fined him Rp 500,000
\n(US$232.88) after finding Agil guilty for the sportsmanship
\nviolation.<\/p>\n
\"We've come here to win the championship,\" Surabaya new
\nmanager Purnomo Kasidi said. \"We have wiped out our blue memory
\nin the past.\"<\/p>\n
Surabaya will field its full team which demonstrated
\ncharacteristic attack-minded football. With ace striker Agus
\nWinarno regaining his goal scoring form, Surabaya's forwards made
\nup of Dodik Suprayogi, Yongky Kastanya and Wenedi Purwito will be
\na frightening force in Ujungpandang's goalmouth.<\/p>\n
However, tradition may stand behind Ujungpandang. The South
\nSulawesi team took advantage of being the underdog in 1992 to
\nmake a giant-killing run. Besides, a whopping Rp 50 million
\n($23,288) cash reward awaits each of Ujungpandang players if they
\nmanage to retain the title.<\/p>\n
And as we have seen for the last two decades, provincial
\nfanaticism and tempers run high on the part of both the players
\nand the crowds, which will play a pivotal role in today's do-or-
\ndie matches.<\/p>\n
Probable lineups
\nPersib Bandung: Aries Rinaldie - Dede Iskandar - Nandang Kurnaedi
\n- Yadi Mulyadi - Robby Darwis - Roy Darwis - Kekey Zakaria - Yudi
\nGuntara - Sutiono - Mulyana - Yusuf Bachtiar.<\/p>\n
Persija Jakarta: Zahlul Fadil - Tony Tanamal - Prayitno Adi -
\nZainul Arifin - Marzuki Nya'Mad - Maman Suryaman - Agus
\nSupriyanto - Patar Tambunan - Miro Baldo Bento - Iskandar -
\nRachmad Darmawan.<\/p>\n
Persebaya Surabaya: Riono - Hartono - Arifin - Maura Helly -
\nMargono Asnan - Azaria Batekeneng - Yongky Kastanya - Nurul Huda
\n- Agus Winarno - Dodik Suprayogi - Wenedi Purwito.<\/p>\n
PSM Ujungpandang: Herman Kadiaman - M. Bahar Muharram - M. Ajis
\nMuin - Ali Baba - Aji Lestaluhu - Anwar Liko - Yusrifar Djaafar -
\nAnsar Razak - Kaharuddin Djamal - Hardiansyah - Arief Kamaruddin.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp10pssi-1447899208",
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