PKT to challenge PSM in final
JAKARTA (JP): Pupuk Kaltim (PKT) of Bontang and PSM Makassar won their hard-fought semifinals of the Bank Mandiri Indonesian soccer league championship on Thursday, setting up a final between eastern conference teams.
PKT, a club owned by a state-owned fertilizer company, booked its final berth after winning a penalty shoot-out against Persikota Tangerang 4-3 in the second semifinal. Both played a goalless draw after an extra 30 minutes in a match which saw the two teams lacking spirit and determination.
In the earlier semifinal, Miro Baldo Bento slammed a 16th minute winner that beat his former team Persija Jakarta in a match between the tournament's hottest favorites.
No matter which team will lift the coveted President Cup trophy on Sunday, the league will see a new champion. Both South Sulawesi-based PSM and East Kalimantan-based PKT have never won the title since the inception of the professional league in 1995.
PSM beat PKT 3-0 at home and lost 0-1 away in the regular season.
The semifinal was marred by a minor incident when supporters of PSM, Persikota and Persija were involved in mass brawls at the Senayan Stadium, the venue of Thursday's matches. There was no report of injuries.
Another incident broke outside the stadium, just in front of the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) office. Police shot tear gas to disperse the PSM and Persikota supporters.
PKT dominated its semifinal against Persikota, but missed a hatful of goal scoring chances. It was Persikota, however, which came closer to a win but the referee disallowed a header by Saphou Lassy two minutes from the break. Saphou was found off- side when he was flying for the ball.
In the second half, both teams intensified their attacks. Saphou shot a well-angled strike that unfortunately fell into goalie Sumardi's hand in the 70th minute. Persikota's goalie Maulana also produced a saving dive to deny a shot from PKT's top striker Marten Tao.
Persikota converted three penalties through Ritham Madubun, Rekky Selfis Berger and Giman Nurjaman in the shoot-out, with Saphou and Simamo A. Basile missing the chance.
Zulkifli was the only PKT player to miss the penalty, while Fachry Husaini, Ardiansyah, Ponaryo and Ahmad Junaidi were on target.
PKT assistant coach Soengkowo Soediharto said that the penalty shootout was purposely planned.
"We know that we have good executors and a good goalkeeper who could save our net."
While Persikota's coach Sutan Harhara expressed regret for the result. "But this is soccer," he said.
Bento described his winner as "a deserving gift" for Persija which he said had despised him when he played for the Jakarta team last season.
"I made a good achievement when I was in Persija but they neglected me. Persija preferred Widodo C. Putro and Rocky Puttiray to me. But finally I found a savior, Nurdin Halid (PSM organizer). We are well-treated and well-paid in PSM, so we are motivated to win the title," he said.
Persija's Bulgarian coach Ivan Kolev blamed the loss on internal problems.
"There is a problem in our defense sector, but when I coach this team, I only work out with the available players. Persija has already selected the players to be coached. But I can use it as a reason for the loss," he said.
Persija's two strikers, Bambang Pamungkas and Widodo, failed to combine a sharp attack on PSM's defense. When Bento scored the winner, it was almost too late for Persija to cover the loophole in its defense.
PSM's assistant coach Syamsuddin Umar said that his team played with strategy.
"Earlier, we were surprised that Persija fielded two strikers instead of one, and finally it added to three. We later use two stopper to match Widodo in the midfield," he said.(ivy)