Long wait is over for Persipura

Long wait is over for Persipura

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Papuans have ample reason to rejoice after Persipura Jayapura
exceeded even its own expectations by reaching the 2005
Indonesian Soccer League final.

"This is indeed a blessing," Persipura manager M.R. Kambu, who
is also Jayapura mayor, told The Jakarta Post. "Our highest
target was the quarterfinal."

Sunday's final against hometown team Persija in Senayan,
Central Jakarta, ends a long drought for the team and its fans.
In 1996, Persipura, a three-time winner of the national
championships in the late 1980s, reached the final in the second
year of the league.

It lost 4-3 to PSM Makassar, and has failed to repeat the feat
until this year.

Persipura beat PSMS Medan 1-0 in Jayapura on Wednesday to win
the league's Eastern section with an undefeated record. About
40,000 fans celebrated the victory of the team -- nicknamed the
"black pearls" -- by parading a cup made of wood and covered with
gold paper around Mandala stadium and through the streets of the
city.

"Persipura is going to Senayan," they shouted in a celebration
that continued until the morning.

The victory made headlines in local newspapers the following
day; To Senayan at last said the Cendrawasih Pos daily. A picture
of captain Edward Ivakdalam scoring the decisive goal featured
prominently, while coach Rahmad Darmawan was dubbed the "doctor
of soccer".

Win or lose on Sunday, Persipura's fans are glad that it has
returned from a long period in the also-ran wilderness since its
1996 final showing.

In 2003, Kambu made a controversial decision to hire foreign
players. The addition of the new players helped Persipure finish
in the top five that year, although it slumped to 13th in 2004.

Kambu was again ready to try something new, hiring Rahmad
Darmawan, former coach of Persikota Tangerang, to train
Persipura.

He also recruited five more foreign players: Leng Lolo, David
Igbonevo and Erick Mabengga from Cameroon, David da Rocha from
Brazil and Victor Sergio from Argentina.

It's a decision that has paid off.

"We recruit players from countries who have won the World
Cup," Kambu said. "We hope our players can learn from the foreign
players."

Five national players -- talented teenager Boas Solossa,
Jendri Pitoy, Edward Ivakdalam, Mauli Lessy and Jack Komboy --
will also play on Sunday.

"On paper, Persipura players are better than Persija," Kambu
said, "but the ball is round, and it will be up to the players to
decide the outcome."