Sharing Points With Persija In The Premier League 1 2023/2024, PSM Coach Disappointed And Highlights Referee Performance

PSM Makassar drew against Persija Jakarta in the inaugural match of Liga 1 2023/2024. (Photo: Twitter/@PSM_Makassar)

JAKARTA - PSM Makassar coach, Bernardo Tavares regretted the draw his team achieved against Persija Jakarta. Not only that, he also highlighted sharply about the referee's leadership in his team's inaugural match in Liga 1 2023/2024.

The match which took place at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (SUGBK), Central Jakarta on Monday, July 3, 2023 night WIB ended with a score of 1-1 for both teams.

PSM Makassar opened the scoring in the 12th minute through Kenzo Nambu. Meanwhile, Persija as the host equalized the position in the 81st minute through Ryo Matsumura's kick from the middle of the field.

Tavares said his team had started the match better. Moreover, they managed to take the lead in the first half.

"We had more chances at the start of the game," said Bernardo Tavares during a press conference after the match.

However, this draw did not make him happy. He also highlighted the performance of referee Agus Fauzan who according to him did not work properly.

"When (we) attacked, one of Persija's players pulled a jersey to stop Yuran's movement (Fernandes). Out there it was a clear penalty, but here we don't know which rules were used," he said.

According to Tavares, the referee must be able to make the right decision when the player falls on the field. However, the field judge chose to continue the match.

The PSM coach's words referred to the situation of Erwin Gutawa who had an incident on the field. He seemed to have fallen down for a long time because Persija players were brought down.

Instead of providing breaks for medical treatment, the referee on duty continues to roll out the match.

"One more thing I need to emphasize, the main referee has an important role in upholding fair play. Referee is not a doctor, if he sees players falling more than a minute, the referee should stop the game," said Tavares.

"It (the player's fall) could be serious or cause potential death. But earlier the game went on and Persija even scored when one of our players fell on the field," he explained about the incident on the field.

The 1-1 result between Persija Jakarta vs PSM Makassar made the two teams have to share the same points. Currently PSM is in ninth position in the standings, while Persija is trailing in 11th position.