Indonesian soccer clubs clinch their first victories

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's representatives got off to a winning start on Saturday during the first rounds of the Asian Champions Cup and Cup Winners Cup.

Brazilian Jacksen Tiago scored the winner in the 34th minute in PSM Ujungpandang's 1-0 home leg victory over South Korean champion Pohang Atoms at Mattoangin Stadium.

Mastrans Bandung Raya also found the net just once in its 1-0 upset of host LKPP Pahang, Malaysia, in the first leg of the Cup Winners Cup. Midfielder Sudirman latched the lone goal for the Bandung side in the 59th minute.

While Mastrans has an easier path to the second round with a home match next Saturday, PSM will need a little luck in its trip to South Korea on the same day.

In front of 30,000 cheering home crowd fans over the weekend, PSM took the initiative from the onset. The Ujungpandang side gave South Korean goalie Lee Mieong-year an early fright in the 11th minute when defender Bahar Muharram shot a cannon ball around the box that narrowly missed the woodwork.

Atoms gave an equivalent reply six minutes later when Baik Ki- hong tapped the ball into PSM's net left vacant by Ansar Abdullah. Ali Baba, however, came just in time for a save.

Tiago, a persistent challenge on the left flank, struck the goal in a well-knit partnership with fellow Brazilian Luciano Leandro. Receiving a throw-in from Bahar, Leandro fed a through pass to Tiago who was left unchallenged in the box.

The South Koreans stepped up the pace in the second half, but a solid defensive fleet led by Bahar kept the ceaseless assaults at bay.

Two minutes after the break, Lee Won-cheol latched a volley past Ansar, but it went a few centimeters over the bar. Atoms missed another golden chance when Ansar dived in for a tip-over that foiled substitute Park Young-sub's stab from a close range in the 76th minute.

In Pahang, Mastrans came back from a nervy start with a number of counterattacks orchestrated by Sudirman from midfield.

The Malaysians, who were too busy with the Mastrans striking duo of Montenegran Dejan Glusevic and Agus Suparman, let Sudirman into the box midway through the second half. The former national player finished off his solo run with a curled shot into the net. (amd)