Indonesian League kicks off today
Indonesian League kicks off today
JAKARTA (JP): Mitra Surabaya and Persipura Jayapura will lock
horns at the Gelora 10 November stadium in Surabaya, East Java
today to mark the kick-off of the Indonesian soccer league
championship new season.
Other three matches in Malang, Manado and Medan complete the
opening fixtures of the league which is now reduced to 31 clubs.
A total of 34 amateur and semi-professional clubs got together
last year to form a new-look league which reintroduced foreign
footballers.
Persema entertains Persegres of Gresik in Malang today in a
battle between two East Javanese sides. In Manado, North
Sulawesi, promoted Persma plays host to last year's
quarterfinalist Barito Putra of South Kalimantan.
Elsewhere, in Medan, North Sumatra, former amateur champion
PSMS plays Persiraja of Banda Aceh. It will be the only Group
West match of the day.
The Group West has 15 clubs this season, while the Group East
has 16 teams. The league expects to see 471 matches played,
including the last 12 round games. The top six teams from each
group will qualify for the final 12 round-robin matches to beheld
in three cities.
The semifinals and final will be held in Jakarta.
Deputy administrator of the league, Ismet D. Tahir, said that
615 players, including 32 imported ones, are joining the league
this season.
"Four Brazilians and a Bulgarian will not be able to play
because they have yet to complete their international transfer
certificates (ITCs)," Antara quoted Ismet as saying.
The Brazilian players are Marcello Pereira Ramalho of Medan
Jaya, Sinval Fraga Pereira of Persita, Tangerang, Wellington Reis
of PSIS Semarang, Central Java and Admilson Marcelino Cunha. The
fifth player is Bulgarian Plamen Iliev Kazakov who will play for
Persebaya of Surabaya.
"We hope to receive the certificates from their respective
football association as soon as possible," Ismet said.
The All-Indonesia Football Association received a total
promotional fund of Rp 5.35 billion (US$2.3 million). Of the
total, each club in the premier and first divisions got Rp 100
million ($43,668) and Rp 50 million ($21,834) respectively.
The association also earmarked Rp 200 million to help clubs
sign foreign players and another Rp 250 million to upgrade the
quality of referees of the league.
Ismet said that the champion and runner-up of the league will
be awarded prize money of Rp 75 million ($32,751) and Rp 50
million ($21,834) respectively. The best player and the top
scorer will pocket Rp 25 million and Rp 10 million respectively.
Persib Bandung won the championship last season after beating
Petrokimia Putra of Gresik 1-0 in a dramatic final in July.
State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman is
scheduled to declare the league's new season open in an
spectacular ceremony in Surabaya's Gelora stadium. (icn)