Pelita Jaya sinks Persebaya 4-0
Pelita Jaya sinks Persebaya 4-0
JAKARTA (JP): Pelita Jaya crushed Persebaya 4-0 (1-0) in a friendly at the Gelora 10 November stadium in Tambaksari, Surabaya, on Friday.
The Jakarta-based club, which tops the Indonesian League's West Division, zeroed in on two of the goals through Buyung Ismu at the 22nd minute and the 76th. The other two were netted by Ansyari Lubis and Powan Ngadi at the 49th and 83th minutes respectively.
Though playing in a friendly, the teams were far from friendly to each other during the high-spirited match. The match was a fund raising program initiated by the East Javanese amateur club.
The league resumes after a month of rest today, and Persebaya will host neighbor Mitra Surabaya away in Semarang, Central Java, next Wednesday. Persebaya was banned from hosting one match, following a riot, which tarnished its away game against PSIM Yogyakarta on Jan. 28.
Pelita Jaya will also make its appearance after the 30-day break on Wednesday when it entertains Warna Agung at Lebak Bulus stadium.
Fortified by Cameron soccer heroes Roger Milla, Maboang Kessack and Croatian Melorad Bajovic, Pelita bulldozed its opponents from the outset.
Its attacks, coordinated by Ansyari Lubis and Kessac, often put the East Javanese opponent's goal post in a very vulnerable position.
The first goal, at the 22nd minute, was a header from Buyung Ismu, who capitalized on a bounce from Melorad Bajovic's corner kick.
Early in the second half, Persebaya tried to make amends by launching a blitzkrieg marked by a series of rapid transfers of the ball. But Pelita Jaya's defensive array, led by Bonggo Pribadi, offered no Achilles' heel.
Only four minutes thereafter, however, Ansyari Lubis busted the Persebaya's attack-minded experiment for a 2-0 lead after passing three Persebaya defenses and tricked goal keeper Agus Purwanto.
Turned on by the success, Pelita Jaya became fiercer. A foursome attack by Ansyari Lubis, Buyung Ismu, Roger Milla and Kessack disrupted Persebaya's defense so that Buyung and Powan Ngadi could effortlessly penetrate its goal area for a 4-0 victory.
Persebaya coach Mudayat, though admitting his team was outclassed, did not rule out the possibility that his players did not do their best because they regarded the match as just entertainment for their guests. (arf)