Import booter gives Pelita Jaya 1-0 win

Import booter gives Pelita Jaya 1-0 win

JAKARTA (JP): Pelita Jaya's 1-0 victory over Persib marked the
start of the Indonesian soccer league here, which was officially
opened by Vice President Try Sutrisno after a colorful procession
in Senayan's main stadium yesterday.

The goal was a header by center forward Dejan Gluscevic, one
of three Yugoslav players hired by the Jakarta-based club, who
received the ball from his teammate, right back Puspom, 20
minutes after the second- half.

"It was my first goal in Indonesia," said Gluscevic, who got a
yellow card for knocking down Asep Dayat a few minutes before
scoring the goal. He added that it was the 52nd goal of his
football career.

The goal, unnoticed by Persib's right back Hendra Komara and
left back Nandang Kurnadi, has deterred Persib from making amends
with Pelita, which has nailed three victories over the amateur
Bandung city-owned club in their previous duels.

Persib, on the other hand, constantly failed to convert each
golden opportunity it brilliantly created throughout the game
into goals.

Penalty kick

Even a penalty kick granted to Persib after Miodrag Bazovic,
Pelita's other Yugoslav player, was announced to have hit the
ball with his hand, did not allow Persib to even up the score.

Persib's captain Robby Darwis, who executed the kick, could
not penetrate the goal post which was solidly guarded by
Listianto Raharjo.

After the failure, Persib booters, who were much fiercer and
more attack-minded during the first- half, seemed to be destined
for the loss. Their moves became slower, their aggressiveness
dwindled. Hence, it was no wonder that Pelita controlled the ball
most of the time.

"Our stamina dropped," center forward Sutiono told reporters,
commenting of his team's loss. He added that Pelita had the
advantage of employing towering foreign booters who very often
resorted to a rough-and-tumble battle to bar Persib booters from
advancing the ball to their penalty area.

"If I were the referee I might have issued more yellow cards,"
said the league's chairman, Agum Gumelar. But then he added that
such rough-and-tumble battle was quite common and was still
beyond the acceptable limit and that the referee, I Made Sudra,
had done a good job.

Pelita Jaya's victory was just a result of the league's first
round which will last until April 26, next year. Other
preliminary matches started simultaneously yesterday in six other
cities --- Yogyakarta, Solo, Surabaya, Gresik, Malang, Bontang
and Medan.

The results of the other matches were: Persebaya beat fellow
amateur city club PSM Ujungpandang 1-0 and Persiraja Banda Aceh
drew with Medan Jaya.

The league, which was named the Dunhill league after its main
sponsor, serves as a melting pot for the country's semi-
professional soccer clubs grouped under the name Galatama and
amateur city clubs.

According to Gumelar, the newly launched league will feature a
total of 559 matches which will involve a total of 737 booters in
28 cities throughout Indonesia. (arf)