Lackluster Persib enters Champions Cup second leg

JAKARTA (JP): Persib Bandung is scrambling to find its old form as it enters the Asia first leg of the Champions' Cup second round in a match against Pasay City of the Philippines at home today.

The Indonesian champion, which knocked out Thai rival Bangkok Bank with a 2-1 aggregate win in the opening round, had only 24 hours to regroup after losing two key players who were on national duty this week.

Kekey Zakaria, whose inspirational performance led Persib to a stunning 2-0 win in Bangkok, returned to his team yesterday after a spell with the centralized training session for the 18th Southeast Asian Games in Gresik, East Java.

Persib's young prodigy Asep Dayat was on loan to the West Java team for the National Games qualifying round, after returning from his Italian stint.

"They came so late that I cannot expect my squad to regain their lightning form. There is now one key remaining: the players' determination," a dejected coach Indra Tohir said. Persib slid to a lackluster showing in its 0-1 home defeat to Bangkok Bank last week.

The match will be shown live on ANTeve today, starting from 4:00 p.m.

Star striker Sutiono admitted that Persib's form appeared to have dropped after the exhausting soccer league it won three months ago. "We have suffered from acute boredom since then," Sutiono said. "But I believe we can do something to maintain our pride," he added.

Indra dealt his team another blow with his plan to withdraw once Persib completes its Cup campaign. "I'm just tired after 11 years serving in the coaching job. I want to return to my old job as a lecturer," said Indra, who was named Coach of the Month by the Asian Football Confederation last month.

In the Winners' Cup competition, Petrokimia Putra begin its campaign away at Rajpracha, Bangkok, tomorrow. The Indonesian league runner-up picked Fachry Husaini, loaned from Pupuk Kaltim, and new signings Derek Dupont and Orret Prentercast of Trinidad and Tobago for the first round first leg match.

"A draw will be a fair result, but we are out to win," coach Andi Teguh said on the team's departure on Thursday. (amd)