Persija and Persikota emerge as big winners
Zakki Hakim and Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Persija Jakarta and Persikota Tangerang enjoyed convincing wins, each scoring a 6-1 victory over their opponents in the Indonesian soccer league on Wednesday.
After a disappointing performance over the weekend, Persija lived up to the nickname 'Kemayoran Tigers' by pounding Semen Padang at the Bung Karno Stadium here.
A minor incident marred the match with disappointed fans of Semen Padang booing and throwing water bottles at their own players. A spectator was seen assaulting Brazilian Antonio Claudio.
Persija's first goal was delivered by Emmanuel De Porras of Argentina with his header in the 11th minute, latching on to a free kick from Hernan Ortiz, also from Argentina, just outside the penalty box.
It was Ortiz' first match. He did not play in the opening match due to his failure to submit the International Transfer Certificate (ITC) as required by the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) and its world counterpart FIFA.
Bambang Pamungkas delighted some 20,000 home fans as he hit goalkeeper Samisore Tamani's goal to double Persija's lead in the 23rd minute.
Semen Padang reduced the gap through Nico Susanto with a volley kick in the 40th.
The second half looked to be a drought of goals until in the last ten minutes when Persija, which was held to a 2-2 draw on Sunday in their opening match, produced four more goals in just seven minutes.
Agus Indra headed home a goal from Argentinean Gustavo Chena in the 81st minute. A minute later, Claudio made an own goal as a result of falsely handling a kick from Agus.
Ismed Sofyan fired a long goal from the left side in the 85th, and three minutes later Ortiz sealed the win in the 88th with his second goal.
Persija's manager IGK Manila said that his team played up to his expectations.
In the Benteng Stadium in Tangerang, Aliyudin had a hat trick as Persikota demolished PSPS Pekanbaru 6-1. Hari Saputra, Supriyono and Wpalla Jordan contributed one apiece.
Joe Nacbe scored the only goal for the visitors from the penalty box.
Playing before around 8,000 supporters, Persikota, despite the absence of key player Gendut Doni, displayed an attacking game with maneuvers being thrust deep into the opponents' defense area.
Aliyudin, which has just moved from Pelita Krakatau Steel this season, opened the scoring in the sixth minute.
PSPS equalized in the 23rd following a handball by Anton Hermawan. Nacbe executed the shot successfully to round off the first half to a 1-1 tie.
However, the second half proved to be a goal feast for the home side, scoring another five goals for a big winner which should give a boost to the team before its next away match against Semen Padang.
"The win should motivate us to follow on with another against Semen Padang," team manager Wahidin Halim said.
As Persikota was buoyed by the big win, its cross-town rival Persita looked to be suffering from the absence of Jorge Toledo as it succumbed to a 3-0 whitewash at the hands of Pelita Krakatau Steel (KS) from Cilegon, Banten.
Antara reported that Pelita's goals came from Emmanuel Ayuk, who scored two and Jean Michel Babuaken.
The Chilean Toledo has been banned from playing for four years after he was blamed for assaulting Ismed Sofyan during the Persija-Persita match on Sunday.