Persijatim stuns Persikota as league resumes after poll break

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

After almost a month-long break due to the campaigning period for legislative elections, the Indonesian premier soccer league resumed on Saturday with Persijatim of Surakarta upsetting host Persikota 1-0 at Benteng Stadium in Tangerang in the only match on the day.

Akyar Ilyas scored the winning goal for the visitors in the 39th minute to lift his team from the relegation zone.

Persikota, meanwhile, dropped to fifth position with 19 points.

Persijatim now has 12 points, only one ahead of Persik Kediri, last season's champions who are on the knife edge of relegation following a string of dismal performances this season.

Persik, which held Vietnamese Binh Dinh 1-1 in its away game in the AFC Champions League on Wednesday, can still jump over Persijatim if it defeats host Persib Bandung, currently ninth on the table, on Sunday.

On Saturday, Akyar emerged the hero for Persijatim, the club formerly based in Jakarta.

After being served with a pass from Eka Ramdani, Akyar took a sweeping dribble through the left wing. Some of the opposing defenders tried to block his way but he somehow managed to keep the balance to fire the ball low at the right corner of national goalkeeper Jendri Pitoy's post.

The visitors went down to 10 men in front of some 5,000 home fans after Ayock Berty was expelled in the 72nd minute for a foul on Isnan Ali. But they managed to cling onto victory.

Saturday's defeat was the third in a row for Persikota. It suffered a 2-0 loss from PSIS Semarang and 1-0 defeat from PSS Sleman in two previous matches.

Persikota coach Rachmad Darmawan said his players did not seem to be in tune with the newly employed 3-5-2 formation, often fumbling on the pitch.

"They looked good during practice sessions. I could not stop wondering why they were so awkward in the match," he said. The team usually played a 4-4-2 formation.

He said there would be an immediate evaluation of the team after its string of losses.

Sunday's fixtures

Persita vs Pupuk Kaltim

Semen Padang vs Deltras

PSMS vs PSM

PSPS vs Persipura

Persija vs Persela

Pelita KS vs Persebaya

Persib vs Persik