Persib defeated Malut United 0-2, Igor Tolic touched the crowded agenda of the match
TERNATE - Persib Bandung assistant coach Igor Tolic assessed that his team's defeat of host Malut United with a score of 0-2 in the 12th week of the 2025/2026 BRI Super League 2025/2026 was inseparable from the impact of the busy match schedule and the long journey to Ternate.
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"The result is that we have to lose to the hosts. Congratulations to Malut United, they played with a good strategy and were able to take advantage of the opportunities well," said Igor Tolic in a press conference after the match at the Kie Raha Stadium, Ternate, Antara, Sunday, December 14.
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Igor admitted that Persib came with high optimism to get three points, but had to accept a bitter result after Malut United performed solidly and effectively throughout the match.
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According to him, the physical condition of the Persib players is quite affected by the crowded match schedule and the long journey that must be taken. This has an impact on the team's performance, especially in maintaining consistency of the game for 90 minutes.
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"We have a pretty busy schedule. After this match, the team plans to return to Bandung and have about a week to recover before the next match," said Igor.
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He also alluded to the team's not entirely ideal condition. Persib head coach Bojan Hodak's accumulated cards also affected the team's preparations, although it was not the main reason for the defeat.
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"We never know how the end result will be, win or lose. The most important thing is that all players have tried to show their best game. Both teams played in their best condition, but playing in the afternoon in Ternate City also has a significant impact on the players' physical condition," he said.
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Meanwhile, Persib Bandung player Tom Haye hopes that Persib's loyal supporters, Bobotoh, will continue to provide full support even though the match result is not what they expected.
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He revealed that the journey to Ternate, which was carried out at night, made the team not get the ideal rest time.
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"We came to Ternate at night and didn't get enough rest. But we still fought as hard as possible. I hope that next week's match at home, Bobotoh can come directly and give Persib full support," said Tom Haye.
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Tom emphasized the importance of a thorough evaluation after the defeat. According to him, every match must be a learning material, both technically and non-technically.
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"As a player, when we lose we have to make an evaluation. Many matches are stopped because of pauses, including a long extra time. This is not about players falling, but how the referee plays a role in managing the course of the match so that it continues to run smoothly," he said.
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In the match, Persib Bandung had to admit the superiority of Malut United who scored two goals in the first half through Inocencio and Ciro Alves. The quick goals made the hosts appear more confident and able to control the tempo of the game until the end of the match.
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This defeat is an important note for Persib Bandung to immediately improve, especially in maintaining the physical condition of the players and increasing the effectiveness of the game, ahead of the next matches in the 2025/2026 BRI Super League.