Menpora Cup: Persib Coach Calls Persib's Middle Line Slow To Anticipate Persija's Attack

JAKARTA - Persib Bandung coach Robert Rene Alberts said Persija Jakarta's two quick goals overwhelmed his team to develop their game during the first leg of the 2021 Menpora Cup final at Maguwoharjo Stadium, Sleman, Yogyakarta, Thursday night.

"I think Persija deserved the victory tonight because we could not play optimally. With a quick goal in the first half, Persib felt that they were not ready for the match tonight," said Robert during a virtual press conference after the match.

According to him, the counterattacks built by the Maung Bandung team players in the second half were also able to weaken the Kemayoran Tigers.

"We worked hard in the first half, but for 90 minutes we didn't get to the maximum," he said.

Robert assessed that Persija benefited more because it had a longer recovery period than his team.

Even though the results of the first leg were not optimal, he did not want to make tonight's achievement a barrier to improving his team's game so that Persija was no longer broken into in the second leg match at the Solo Manahan Stadium.

"We have to evaluate why the midfield is slow to anticipate attacks. That is an important evaluation," he said.

Persib player, Ezra Walian admitted that he was not satisfied with the results of the match against Persija in the first leg.

He is determined to play even stronger in the second leg match and targets at least two goals in Persija's goal. "We have to score at least two goals in the opponent's goal," Ezra said.