Newly promoted Persik wins RI soccer league<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Persik Kediri won Indonesia's premier soccer league in its
\nfirst year in the topflight after routing former champion Persib
\n4-0 in their penultimate fixture in Kediri, East Java, on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
Thousands of soccer fans drove around in a convoy to celebrate
\nwinning the championship, even though the club still has to play
\nits final match against Persikota Tangerang.<\/p>\n
Persik's 64 points are unassailable, including its closest
\nrival rival Persikota, which suffered an 2-0 away loss to PSIS in
\nSemarang on the same day.<\/p>\n
Gogi Manuel scored in the 12th and 69th minute for Persik with
\nWawan Widiantoro and Solekan finding the net in the 32nd and 72nd
\nminutes respectively to send their fans into delirium, Antara
\nreported.<\/p>\n
Euphoria ensued even before kick-off because the Persikmania,
\nas the fans are dubbed, were already confident about a positive
\nresult against Persib.<\/p>\n
Some of the fans displayed a replica of the league's trophy a
\nfew minutes before the match at the Brawijaya Stadium, where some
\n15,000 home supporters had flocked.<\/p>\n
Elation overwhelmed players and officials soon after the
\nreferee whistled play over. An emotional team manager Iwan
\nBudianto had to be escorted to the dressing room.<\/p>\n
Coach Jaya Hartono, assistant coach Mecky Tata and a number of
\nplayers were busy being congratulated by fans. They made way into
\nthe dressing room bare-chested after the shirts were ripped off
\nby the fans.<\/p>\n
In other matches, PSS Sleman beat 2002 champion Petrokimia
\nGresik; Deltras defeated PSDS Deli Serdang and Persita outplayed
\nArema 3-0.<\/p>\n
Wednesday's results mean that PSIS swapped places with Persib
\nwith the former now in sixth from bottom and the latter fifth
\nfrom bottom. As results stand they will have to win matches
\nagainst teams from first division to stay in the topflight for
\nthe following season.<\/p>\n
The bottom four: Petrokimia, PSDS, Arema and Barito Putra will
\nbe automatically demoted to the first division.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/newly-promoted-persik-wins-ri-soccer-league-1447893297",
"image": ""
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