PSM loses to Dalian Shide in AFC Champions League

PSM loses to Dalian Shide in AFC Champions League

Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar

Last year's Indonesian League runner-up PSM Makassar was
beaten 1-0 in front of 8,000 home fans, against Chinese champion
Dalian Shide FC in their Asian Champions League match at
Mattoangin Stadium here on Wednesday.

The match's only goal was scored just five minutes into the
game by Ermin Silijak.

Silijak capitalized on a lapse by the PSM's defending markers,
turning out only one defender up against him before dribbling the
ball past goalkeeper Sergio Bernabe Vargas.

The defeat, which was the third on the trot, snapped PSM's
hopes of advancing to the league's next round.

In its first match in Vietnam, PSM lost 5-1 to Hoang Anh Gia
Lai. It hosted Krung Thai Bank of Thailand in the second match
only to lose out 3-2.

Wednesday's result brought Dalian to strengthen its position
as group leader with nine points, while PSM sank to the bottom of
the table with no points.

PSM manager Kadir Khalid looked to provide some morale-
boosting consolation, praising his players for "showing solid
play and high morale", but he eventually admitted that their
opponent was far better.

"Dalian is two levels above PSM. But we have to admit that it
was PSM's best performance in the champions league," he said.

Dalian Shide's coach Shi Lei also praised his opponent, saying
that the PSM attacks were quite tight and hard to break.

"PSM played well. It was a hard match, but thankfully we come
out as the winner," he said.

The two teams will meet again in China on April 21, after
which the Indonesians will have to try to win their first points
at home when they host Vietnamese champion Hoang Anh Gia Lai on
May 5.

Wednesday's results:

Al Shorta (Irq) 1 Al Hilal (Ksa) 2

Sepahan (Irn) 3 Al Ittihad (Ksa) 2

Chonbuk (Kor) 4 BEC Tero (Tha) 0

PSM (Ina) 0 Dalian (Chn) 1

Yokohama (Jpn) 1 Seongnam (Kor) 2

Binh Dinh (Vie) 2 Persik (Ina) 2