Persebaya crowned RI league champions

ID Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya

Persebaya claimed the Indonesian premier soccer league trophy after defeating Persija 2-1 in the league's closing match at the Tambaksari stadium here on Thursday.

The victory put Persebaya on top of the 18-strong league with 61 points. PSM, which beat PSMS Medan by the same score line in Makassar, also ended its competition with an identical 61 points, but the champions had a far better goal margin than the runners- up.

Persija, which began the match on top with 60 points, had to be content with third place in the final standings.

Persebaya manager Saleh Mukadar promised Rp 1 billion in cash bonuses to the players and looked ahead to the Asian Champions League next year.

"The players deserve the bonuses. We are proud of what they have done in the league. The players and coach will be retained for next year's Champions League," Saleh said.

The 5,000-capacity Tambaksari stadium was packed with supporters but none of them were Persija's. The organizing committee had barred the Jakarta-based team's fans from watching the match for fear they might incite a conflict with local fans.

Damilo Fernando put the hosts in front with his goal in the fifth minute. The two teams took turns in the attack, but the score did not change.

The second-half was virtually a case of one-way traffic with Persebaya enduring the relentless offensive of Persija, but the Surabaya-based team's break finally came in the 52nd minute.

The goal came from Persebaya's own player Mat Halil. In another course of attack from Persija, Mat meant to make a back pass to the goalkeeper, but he poked the ball home with Hendro Kartiko out of position.

But Luciano Souza regained the lead a minute later with his header passing over goalkeeper Samsidar and curving down into the net.