Pusamania, Arema Advance to 2017 President's Cup Final After Dramatic Semis
Jakarta. Pusamania Borneo Football Club and Arema will face each other in the final of the 2017 President's Cup at Pakansari Stadium in Bogor, West Java, on March 12 after both clubs clinched dramatic wins in the semifinals of the competition on Sunday (05/03).
Pusamania beat Persib Bandung in a penalty shootout during extra time, while Arema's Cristian Gonzales netted five goals on their home ground in Malang, East Java, leading his club to a 5-2 win over Semen Padang.
Persib came close to victory in its semifinal match over the weekend when its Japanese attacker, Shohei Matsunaga, opened the score with a header, assisted by Montenegrin Vladimir Vujovic, in the 31st minute at Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung, West Java, on Sunday evening.
Losing 2-1 in the first leg of the competition, Persib would have had to maintain its aggregate ranking if it were to advance to the tournament final. Unfortunately, its home advantage was not enough to keep the West Java club afloat as Pusamania's Liberian defender, Dirkir Glay, equalized in the 53rd minute with a devastating strike from a corner kick.
However, the club managed to put up a respectable fight, as Persib captain Atep scored a crucial 72nd-minute goal, again after a corner kick set-piece.
The match, which abided by the competition's away-goal advantage rule, was forced into extra time after a 3-3 draw was not enough to decide a winner. Added time also proved unfruitful, as both sides failed to capitalize on the extended 30 minutes of play.
In the penalty shootout that followed, Pusamania's shooters displayed world-class skill as five shots found their way past Persib goalie I Made Wirawan, beating out their opponents three added goals.
"I personally apologize to all Persib supporters as I am the one responsible for selecting the penalty takers," Persib coach Djadjang Nurdjaman said after the game.
"Persib's performance was actually superior. Our opponent [Pusamania] only had one chance, but they played effectively and took the semifinal," he added.
Career-Defining Performance
Arema won its semifinal match at Kanjuruhan Stadium, in Malang, East Java, on Sunday with an astonishing 5-2 comeback win, as the club's 40-year-old striker Cristian Gonzales scored all five of its goals.
Arema supporters, known in the Indonesian football world as Aremania, remained on-edge as the club led Semen Padang by only one goal in the 83rd minute.
Gonzales put in Arema's first two goals in the 27th and 30th minutes, respectively, which equalized the score with Padang. He went on to strike again in the 66th minute, putting Arema up 3-2.
Only after 83 minutes did the home supporters finally celebrate as Gonzales clinched a decisive header, shocking the relaxed Semen Padang after it led the aggregate score for most of the match.
Gonzales, who gave one of the best performances of his career on Sunday, scored his fifth goal of the match in injury time as Semen Padang's keeper, Muhammad Ridwan, was caught off-guard as he attempted to recover from a corner kick.
"The match was incredible, the team played very well. This year is going to be one of the best in my career," Gonzales said after the match.
Meanwhile, Arema coach Aji Santoso praised the club's supporters after the dramatic win.
"When we were trailing, I ordered my players to keep fighting and to not lose hope. We performed well after I tried many strategies. It was an extraordinary game," Aji said. "I owe a great debt of gratitude to our home supporters for backing us up, from the beginning until the end."
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