Persib, Petrokimia reach semis in style

JAKARTA (JP): Persib Bandung and Petrokimia Putra blasted their way into the semifinals of the Indonesian soccer league championship in devastating style yesterday with crushing 3-0 victories over Assyabaab and Medan Jaya respectively.

The goal spree ended the week-long scoring drought in the quarterfinals which kicked off last Wednesday. Persib's Sutiono and Petrokimia's Widodo Putra stole the limelight in yesterday's Group B final matches, scoring two goals each to lead their teams to tomorrow's semifinals.

Persib finished the group with seven points from two wins and a draw. Petrokimia of Gresik, East Java settled for the second place with five points.

Amateur champion Persib will battle for a final berth against Group A runner-up Barito Putra. The other semifinal match will pit amateur Petrokimia against Group A winner Pupuk Kaltim.

Pupuk Kaltim rode its luck as it was granted the top spot of the Group A after league organizers tossed a coin yesterday. Both Pupuk Kaltim and Barito Putra finished the group matches with exactly the same points and goal difference.

Yesterday's tense, full-action matches, however, were tarnished by a foul committed by Medan's goalkeeper Abdi Kusno. Referee Widiyanto Nugroho red card him early in the match, the first red card flashed during the quarterfinals.

Abdi, who scrambled to defend his goal from the onset, had no choice but to fell hard running Widodo in the 10th minute. The goalie received his marching orders after Widiyanto saw him grab the ball outside the penalty box following the collision.

Coach Rayo Usman put substitute goalkeeper Syahril Nasution in and pulled striker Nasib Rayadi in an apparent effort to strengthen the defense.

Weakened

But a weakened Medan side, which had been put out of contention for the semifinals by two losses, failed to thwart Petrokimia's goal-thirsty strikers led by Brazilian Jackson Tiago.

Widodo put his team 1-0 up after 24 minutes with a close-range shot. The striker was again on target two minutes after the break when he touched a cross from Tiago and pushed it past Syahril.

Tiago, who shrugged off a nagging foot injury throughout the match, finally found the net nine minutes before time. He profited from Widodo's cross with a devastating first-timer.

Earlier in the first game of the day, a determined Persib side displayed one of its best attacking games to out slug Assyabaab which needed only a draw to book a semifinal ticket.

It took Persib only four minutes to score when Kekey Zakaria headed home a pass from Yudi Guntara. Sutiono, top scorer in Persib's triumphant campaign in last year's amateur championship, put his team 2-0 ahead in a solo run in the 24th minute.

Persib renewed the pressure in the second half despite their commanding 2-0 lead. In the 75th minute, Yudi, a real threat to Assyabaab's right flank, sent a straight pass to Sutiono who found no challenge in firing the ball into the net. (amd)

Final Group standings (tabulated under played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points):

Group A Pupuk Kaltim 3 1 2 0 3 2 5 Barito Putra 3 1 2 0 3 2 5 Bandung Raya 3 1 1 1 4 3 4 Pelita Jaya 3 0 1 2 2 5 1

Group B Persib 3 2 1 0 5 1 7 Petrokimia 3 1 2 0 5 2 5 Assyabaab 3 1 1 1 4 6 4 Medan Jaya 3 0 0 3 2 7 0