PSIS Semarang beats Petrokimia to lead Group I<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): PSIS Semarang went to the top of Group I with
\nthe six points it earned crushing Petrokimia Putra Gresik 2-0 on
\nthe fifth day of the fifth Indonesian Soccer League (Ligina)
\nplayoffs on Saturday at the Senayan soccer stadium.<\/p>\n
PSIS, which takes over the lead from defending champion
\nPersebaya, displayed solid defense and good coordination between
\nits midfielders and strikers to paralyze Petrokimia defenders.<\/p>\n
In Group II, unseeded team Pupuk Kaltim played at a slow but
\nsteady rhythm to put the brakes on highly accelerated PSM
\nUjungpandang and grab a 1-0 victory.<\/p>\n
PSIS captain Ali Sunan scored in the 15th minute of the Group
\nI game after clearing a pack of Petrokimia players who fell down
\nin front of the net.<\/p>\n
\"I'm glad that I could give my best in this match. I also have
\nto thank all my teammates who played in high spirits, although we
\nhad to come here with little money,\" Ali said after the match.<\/p>\n
Midfielder Imron Abdullah, who substituted Deftendi in the
\n53rd minute, put in another goal at the 80 minute mark with a
\npass from Ali.<\/p>\n
\"I thank PSIS team members and all Semarang soccer fans. We
\nhope they can play better,\" spectator and Semarang Mayor
\nSoetrisno Suharto said after congratulating PSIS players.<\/p>\n
Coach Edy Paryono said his players would play their best in
\nTuesday's match against Semen Padang.<\/p>\n
\"We are not a favorite team. We'll give it our best shot in
\nthe match against Semen Padang. We have bee watching their
\nperformance,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Petrokimia coach Sanusi Rachman gave credit to PSIS strategy
\nand their rapid movement which enabled the team to take control
\nof the match.<\/p>\n
\"We lost the ball too easily because they had good and swift
\nmovement. They crossed the ball very quickly, which couldn't be
\nanticipated by our defenders,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Captain Khusaeri admitted that his players lost their fighting
\nspirit after PSIS made its first goal.<\/p>\n
\"We couldn't concentrate after PSIS led 1-0. Besides, our
\nstamina was decreasing,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In the first match, Pupuk Kaltim striker Ahmad Junaidi headed
\nfrom the right side of the net and scored the only goal in the
\n62th minute.<\/p>\n
\"This is not our first meet. We already knew each other so we
\ndidn't set any special strategy. We tried to block PSM's
\ndefenders, who only waited for the pass from the team's
\nfoundation, (Ortisan) Salossa,\" said Gusnul Yakin, Pupuk Kaltim's
\ncoach.<\/p>\n
PSM coach M. Basri blamed the tight game schedule which he
\nsaid did not allow his players to recover from their last game
\nagainst Pelita Bakrie on Thursday.<\/p>\n
\"It's not the main problem, anyway. We are very disappointed
\nand we thought that Pupuk Kaltim could use the opportunities very
\nwell,\" he said.<\/p>\n
PSM tied with Pelita Bakrie on their first outing and earned
\none point, but there is a narrow chance for them to reach the
\nsemifinals.<\/p>\n
Sunday's Group I match will pit Pelita Bakrie against PSMS
\nMedan and Persikota Tangerang will play Persebaya in the Group II
\nmatch. (ivy)<\/p>\n
Results:
\n PSIS Semarang 2 Petrokimia Putra 0
\n Pupuk Kaltim 1 PSM Ujungpandang 0<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/psis-semarang-beats-petrokimia-to-lead-group-i-1447893297",
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