PSSI beats Persib in Asia Cup tryout

PSSI beats Persib in Asia Cup tryout

BANDUNG (JP): The Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI)
soccer team, which is being prepared for the Asia Cup
championships in Hong Kong, showed improvement on Wednesday by
defeating Persib Bandung 2-0 in a tryout at Siliwangi Stadium.

Referee Aeng Suarlan had to stop the match in the 18th minute
for about 20 minutes due to heavy rain in the capital of West
Java. The soccer field turned into a muddy arena that did not
meet requirements to continue the match.

Both teams tried hard to show their best form soon after the
match continued. Persib, which contains young players, proved
they were not underdogs, despite the fact that national players
had better technical skills.

Persib's old crack, Nandang Kurnaedi, managed to encourage
juniors to play offensively, but PSSI stopper Nuralim performed
outstandingly to break the attack.

In the second half, both teams started to play faster. PSSI
striker Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto and left winger Aji Santosa
bombarded Persib's goalkeeper but Persib managed to fight back
and forced PSSI goalie M Halim to dive to save his net.

PSSI coach Nandar Iskandar replaced Halim with Hendro Kartiko
and Kurniawan with Rocky Puttiray.

In the 68th minute, midfielder Uston Nawawi kicked the ball to
captain Aji who directly kicked the ball into the net. Persib
goalkeeper Udin Rafiudin was not in position to anticipate Aji's
kick and PSSI led 1-0.

Another goal was produced thanks to Persib defender Yaris
Riyadi's mistake when he passed the ball to the goalkeeper
without any friends. Rocky, standing near the ball, passed it to
Haryanto Prasetyo who directly volleyed the ball to score 2-0.

Nandar said: "My team has improved but we still have to work
on the midfield." He will expel two of 20 players before leaving
for Hong Kong.

In Yogyakarta, protests marred the Group B match between
Persebaya Surabaya and Persikab Bandung during the fourth Sultan
Hamengkubuwono IX Cup at Mandala Krida Stadium.

The match was halted as coaches and officials from both teams
rushed into the field. Persikab's official and coaches were angry
after referee Joko Sulistyo did not give a yellow card to a
Persebaya striker who collided with and injured Persikab's goalie
Jajang Sinar Surya at the penalty box.

The situation was quickly brought under control and Persebaya,
the runner-up in the fifth Indonesian Soccer League (Ligina), won
the match 3-2.

Persikab's coach R. Risnandar accused the referee for being
unfair. He claimed that Persebaya's first goal was not valid as
it was made from the offside position.

"We didn't lose to Persebaya. We were defeated by the
referee," he said emotionally. "But let's see. Persikab will
survive in the sixth Ligina," he said. The sixth Ligina is
scheduled to begin in November.

In the second match, Gelora Dewata Bali unexpectedly upset
Indonesian League champion PSIS Semarang 4-1. (43/44)