No Silverware for Persija — Again

Another year, another trophyless season for Persija Jakarta.

The capital club, one of the best-supported in the country, saw its eight-year title drought continue after a 3-3 draw with Deltras Sidoarjo in the Copa Indonesia quarterfinals on Sunday. The result in Sidoarjo, East Java, handed Deltras a 4-3 victory on aggregate.

Persija started the season with dreams of two trophies and received a Rp 21 billion ($2.1 million) boost from the Jakarta government. After finishing a distant seventh in the Super League, though, it let slip a two-goal lead to continue its run of futility since winning the 2001 league title.

Deltras, which was relegated from the Super League after finishing 16th, won the first leg 1-0 at Gajayana Stadium in Malang, East Java.

Edisi Sergio Junior put Deltras ahead in the 12th minute, only for Ismed Sofyan to pull Persija level with a 44th-minute free kick. When Greg Nwokolo and Fabio Lopes scored within a minute of each other after the restart, Persija led 3-1 and looked destined for the semifinals.

However, in the 65th minute, Abanda Herman handled in the penalty area and Danilo Fernando converted the spot kick. Just five minutes from full time, Kornelis Kaimu surged through the visitors’ defense to slot the ball past Hendro Kartiko.

Deltras will meet Super League champion Persipura Jayapura or PSMS Medan in the semifinals. Persipura leads 2-0 after the first leg and hosts PSMS in the second leg today.

Persijap Jepara was the first club to book a semifinal spot after it beat Persitara North Jakarta 3-1 at home on Saturday. That victory put it through 3-2 on aggregate.

The hosts went with all-out attack and Nurul Huda scored with a long-range shot after eight minutes. Pablo Frances doubled Persijap’s lead five minutes later, and Amarildo Souza scored the crucial third goal in the 53rd.

Mustopa Aji pulled a goal back for Persitara one minute before full time.

“The players stepped up a gear from the very first minute because they wanted to give our fans something to cheer about,” Persijap coach Junaidi said. “Their determination and teamwork were flawless today, and they played with more discipline.”

Persitara assistant coach Dody Sahetapy admitted his team deserved to lose.

“The boys played very poorly tonight. I didn’t see any motivation to win the match,” he said. “Persijap could read our strategy and contained us. They deserved the victory.”

Persijap will likely face defending Copa champion Sriwijaya FC. The South Sumatra side travels to Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang today to face Persibo Bojonegoro with the safety blanket of a 5-0 lead after the first leg.

“[Sriwijaya] just ended the Super League with a grueling Papua tour. They must be very tired and we’ll use that to our advantage,” Junaidi said.

In international play, the Indonesian under-23 national team lost 1-0 to the Malaysian U-23s in a friendly at KLFA Stadium Cheras in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, its third loss in a row following two in Iran last month.

Mohammad Zahwan scored the only goal in the 42nd minute.

Indonesia plans to stay and train in Kuala Lumpur until its next warm-up for December’s Southeast Asian Games, a friendly away to Singapore on June 20.


Antara, JG

Your View

See Result