Persib To The Menpora Cup Final Even Though PSS Sleman Draw 1-1

Ezra Walian is closely guarded by Sleman PSS player Bagus Nirwanto (Foro: Antara)

JAKARTA - Persib Bandung qualified for the final round of the 2021 Menpora Cup pre-season tournament even though the second leg of the semifinals at Manahan Stadium, Solo, Monday night was held to a 1-1 draw by PSS Sleman.

The team nicknamed the Blue Prince has the right to qualify for the final after winning 3-2 on aggregate after the first leg of the semifinals at Maguwoharjo Stadium, Sleman, Friday, April 16, winning 2-1. In the final, Persib will face Persija.

The final match also uses the same system as the semifinals. The first leg final will be held at Maguwoharjo Stadium, Sleman, Thursday, April 22 and the second leg final will be held at Manahan Stadium, Solo, Sunday, April 25.

The struggle of Robert Rene Alberts' subordinates to the final is quite tough because the opponent, PSS Sleman has an even player material and even some of them are former team players from the City of Flowers.

Only needing a draw, it turns out that Persib continues to play openly by attacking. In fact, Persib, who from the first minute to 15 minutes was able to master the game, but his attack was not able to penetrate the PSS Sleman defense so that the position was still 0-0.

The game is tight. It was proven that Persib Bandung player Dedi Kusnandar had to be carried off the field due to injury and replaced by Farshad Noor. Likewise with PSS Sleman who had to pull goalkeeper Ega Risky who was injured and replaced by Miswar Saputra. The 0-0 position lasted until the first half ended.

Entering the second half, the PSS Sleman coach, Dejan Antonic, changed his strategy and began to dare to appear to attack to score goals against the opponent's goal.

PSS Sleman got a chance on 46 minutes through Irfan Jaya, but his shot was caught by Persib, I Made Irawan. In the 48th minute, Irfan Jaya's hard shot is able to block the goalkeeper, I Made Wirawan, and only produces a corner kick for PSS.

Persib Bandung was also not left behind by getting a chance in the 58th minute through Wander Luiz's shot, but the shot was successfully blocked by the PSS goalkeeper and had hit the goal out so that he was unable to change the position to remain 0-0.

PSS Sleman in the 64th minute had to lose one player, namely Fabiano Da Rosa Beltrame, who was hit by two yellow cards so that the team from Sleman had to play 10 people.

However, PSS Sleman continued to make a quick counter-attack and produced a 72-minute goal through a hard kick, Saddam Emiruddin Gaffar, which changed the position to 1-0.

PSS Sleman's goal was responded to by Persib Bandung in the 83rd minute through Ezra Hard Ruud Walian's header so that it equalized to 1-1.

PSS Sleman ahead of the match continued to exert pressure on Persib Bandung's defense. Opportunities come from Irfan Jaya, it's just that the kick of the former Persebaya Surabaya player is thin over the crossbar.

The 1-1 draw position lasted until the referee who led the match between PSS and Persib, namely Darma Santoso Gulo from North Sumatra, blew a long whistle marking the end of the second half. These results led Persib Bandung to the final to face Persija Jakarta.