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Persik and Persebaya Football Teams Go Down With a Whimper
Wimbo Satwiko | August 08, 2010

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In a fitting end to their Indonesian Super League campaigns, the two clubs that just couldn’t seem to meet on the pitch failed one last time to hook up.

Persik Kediri was awarded a 3-0 victory by league officials after its opponent, Persebaya Surabaya, failed to show up for their scheduled match in Palembang on Sunday.

“The match commissioner and the referee waited for Persebaya to arrive, but they never showed up. The match result is official. We have given Persik the victory,” said Joko Driyono, the chief executive of league administrator Liga Indonesia (PTLI).

“We had informed both clubs that we could delay the time of the kickoff or reschedule the match if they couldn’t make it to Palembang. But Persebaya requested neither.”

Persik’s 3-0 forfeit victory, however, was not enough to save it from relegation, as both it and Persebaya were sent down to the Premier Division after finishing in 16th and 17th places in the league, respectively.

The result means Pelita Jaya finishes in 15th place, and it will take on Premier Division side Persiram Raja Ampat in a relegation/promotion playoff at Gelora Sriwijaya Stadium in Palembang on Tuesday.

The Persik-Persebaya game had been postponed twice — the first in April and the second on Thursday — because of Persik’s failure to acquire a match permit from the Kediri Police.

Persebaya had been awarded a 3-0 forfeit victory after the first postponement, but Persik successfully appealed the decision, setting up last week’s game.

After Thursday’s match was called off again, the league administrator decided to hold the long-delayed match in Palembang on Sunday.

Persebaya officials, however, slammed the decision. The team, which had arrived in Kediri on Thursday ready to play, flew home to Surabaya on Friday.

“It was my decision for the team not to go to Palembang,” Persebaya manager Made Widiade told state-run news agency Antara on Saturday.

“We’ve been fooled. Even if we go to Palembang, it’s useless. We’ll take any sanctions they give us,” he said. ISL