Lackluster Persib enters Champions Cup second leg
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)