Mastrans adopts low profile ahead of semifinal meet
Mastrans adopts low profile ahead of semifinal meet
JAKARTA (JP): Favorite Mastrans Bandung Raya is keeping silent
ahead of its semifinal clash today against Mitra Surabaya in the
Indonesian soccer league championship.
While the other three contestants are boasting they are on
their way to the championship title, Mastrans players see their
fate as hanging in the balance.
Today's semifinals, at the Senayan stadium, feature Mastrans,
Mitra, Persipura Jayapura and PSM Ujungpandang.
The Bandung side will play its Surabaya opponent without the
services of its prolific Montenegran forward Dejan Glusevic; he
received a one-match suspension after being shown a red card in
the final-12 group match last week.
Manager Tri Gustoro is likely to let Heri Rafni Kotari off the
bench to replace Glusevic. It remains doubtful, however, whether
Heri will gel with the team's top scorer Peri Sandria.
The lethal partnership of Peri and Glusevic created a scoring
machine to put Western Conference champion Mastrans on course to
win many of its final-12 group matches.
Tri said he was more cautious of the fact that his men were
demoralized after a 0-4 drubbing by South China in its Asia Cup
Winners' Cup second-round tie in Hong Kong Sunday.
"We consider ourselves the underdogs, rather than the
favorites to win the championship. We are at the end of our
tethers," Tri said.
Tri's Mitra counterpart Rudy Kelces said his team will not let
the coveted title slip from its grasp now that it has reached the
semifinals. "We have played tough matches en route to the
semifinals. We won't waste this opportunity," said Rudy, a former
national player in 1980s.
PSM and Persipura, two past champions of the now defunct
inter-city amateur championship, will play a grudge match in the
first semifinal today. Eastern Conference champion PSM narrowly
beat Persipura 1-0 in their final-12 group match last week, but
the story today will be very different.
"We have nothing to be afraid of in our second meeting within
a week. We are set to turn the tables on them," Persipura manager
Tumpak Sihite said.
The sudden-death goal ruling will be used for the first time
in the championship during the semifinals and the final on
Sunday. (amd)