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)