All-Jakarta final in Ligina league expected

JAKARTA (JP): Persija Jakarta returned victorious from Brunei on Thursday only to be challenged by Governor Sutiyoso to set their eyes on reaching the final of the domestic Bank Mandiri soccer league.

Greeting the Persija players and officials at a reception at City Hall, Sutiyoso said he longed to see an all-Jakarta final in the Ligina between Persijatim and Persija, and restore the capital's soccer supremacy it once enjoyed in the 1970s.

The challenge will be a tall order for Persija, which is placed 8th with 17 points. Persijatim tops the table with 25.

Sutiyoso joked that if the two teams reached the final, he would not even bother watching the match. "I'll know the winner is one of my teams."

Persija won the Champions League Invitational Cup in Bandar Seri Begawan in Brunei on Wednesday, beating Happy Valley of Hong Kong 4-3 in the final.

"Sure, I'll give them a bonus but I have not decided on the amount first," Sutiyoso said.

Wednesday's final was a close contest with the outcome decided only in injury time by a goal from Budiman.

Persija dominated the match although Tommy Adriano of Happy Valley scored the first goal two minutes into the match.

The Jakartans regained their composure and scored three goals through Imran Nahumarury in the 11th minute, Ali Sunan in the 25th, and Luciano Leandro in the 45th minute.

Happy Valley staged a swift comeback in the second half, and equalized during a spell of only two minutes with goals from Dmitrov Kaokov in 78th and 80th minutes, both coming from corner kicks.

Persija's Bulgarian coach Ivan Kolev said he was satisfied with the team's performance.

He is now training his sights on the Ligina. "We don't have any other objective but to win the league," Kolev said. (nvn)