[Brian Swartz]

5.6 -- Yarangga will be out again now after straining a wrist(2 weeks). That will hurt.

5.9 @ Persikad(1-1-0) There's still the matter of who represents Group A in the finale to be decided. The winner of this game will be that club ... but if we draw I don't know what will happen. That would keep goal differential the same(+1), and if Persim beats Persid by a goal, they would be tied with us both in points and differential as well for a three-way chaotic finish that is quite possible.

Of course, my goal is simply to win today(a big ask on the road to be sure): if we can manage it, none of that matters, we'd be the unquestioned top of the table club. We'll start off with our usual counter-attacking road strategy, particularly since they like to jump out early in the first half of play. With a weakened midfield, we will need to finish well any chances we have.

Persikad are narrowly favored here(6-4). Their star striker(Suheri Purwasih, 18 goals in 27) will receive major attention from the outset from our defense.

Both sides pass the ball like they can't tell the difference between their uniforms and those of the opponent -- yeah, I think the players are nervous too.

2' -- Long angled shot by Sasongko, well over.

3' -- Decent setup from Sutanto-Yogi-Ewangin with a shot just outside, had a good look at it but it's high and wide.

4' -- Purwasihp tries a long one but Patay stays right with him and blocks it back.

5' -- They get another long shot, off-target. Both teams are impatient right now.

7' -- Supriyadi with a cross from fairly deep ... it dips down and comes in under the bar for a freak score! I could really have done without that, pure luck there and once again we give up an early tally. 0-1

20' -- The last few minutes they've taken control of the possession struggle pretty solidly after an even start. This is definitely going to be an uphill fight for us.

21' -- Patay called for a trip on Purwasih, and he gets handed a yellow. Sasongko is wide with the freekick. I don't think I can afford to pull Patay, so I have to hope he is smart now.

24' -- Mixup between their defensemen, and Sutanto pounces on the loose ball with a chip from about 20 .... just skims high. That was almost the break we needed.

We take it back and Ewangin threads the needle to Yogi, poor ball control there unusual for him, and they concede only a corner. They clear it out, but that was still a nice sequence that we need to see more of.

31' -- We get another corner kick. Nothing.

33' -- Albana wheels middle to the edge of the area, shoots it well wide. As we've been playing better I switch up to a more balanced approach, risky as we could give up an easy one but a close loss will do us no good. It lasts about ten minutes as we don't get much, they adjust, and I pull back.


HT -- I tell the team they need to step up their game, most react well, Sutanto does not.


46' -- Nice passing gets them Susongko at the left corner of the box. Ferminus waits patiently and cuts of the angle, blocking the shot away and we clear. That's the best opportunity we've given.

52' -- Ewangin makes mincemeat out of one of their defenders, then sprays it right to Saragih. He's in on the angle, tries to go across but Sriyanto makes a nice save and we get a corner. Good play there, keeper was just better than the shot.

Adie with the kick, Patay goes up in a crowd feet in front of the goal. ... and they call a foul! Supriyadi is whistled for a penalty!! Karma, perhaps??

It's Yogi Time. He steps to the spot knowing that this shot could well mean the difference between making the First Division Final and not making it. Sriyanto awaits ... dives left ... Yogi's shot went right and he probably wouldn't have gotten it anyway, we're tied at 1!!

40 minutes to go.

55' -- Persmin is up 2-0 on Persid. If both scores hold, they will make the final on goal differential. We need to win, and I go for the jugular by going back to a less conservative approach.

56' -- Corner. Can't get it to Patay, Yogi heads it back in, Sriyanto snags it.

58' -- Ewangin leads Saragih who is behind them on the right side ... oh, he had a good chance there but just didn't get much on it, a relatively easy save. A little more mustard and we would have the lead. Another corner. Similar to the one we got a penalty from, but Sriyanto is there.

59' -- Long angled shot by Yogi is way off.

62' -- I don't believe what I just saw!!! We inbound from the left side, Kombo throws it right up the endline into the area. Ningmabin has it between two defenders, but he can't shoot from there ... dribbles past them like they aren't even there to a better angle a bit inside the box, and easily beats Sriyanto for the score! That is the best individual move I've seen this year. By Melianus Ninmabin. Maligned by our fans. Retiring at the end of the year. Scoreless this year with just five shots attempted. And he just put us half an hour from the First Division final!!!!!

Naturally it's time to go defensive with the 5-2-2-1. Normally it'd be Ningmabin I pull, but not on your life now. Adie sits. He's earned the right to stay out there. If Yarangga hadn't gotten hurt, he never would have even been on the pitch. Just incredible.

71' -- They pass to Jaelani just outside the corner of the box ... we're on him tight ... and get it cleared for a corner. Jaelani takes the kick ... Supriyandi is open at the far post but Muda sees him just in time and clears with a header. They hold it in, Jaelani crosses a jump ball mid-area ... Sutanto heads it clear. Again they pass it in, Prasetyo is there and booms a clearance downfield.

Twenty minutes.

75' -- Albana moves across from the right and lets one go, 25+ deep and well right of the goal. It's a well-struck one with a great angle though and Ferminus barely gets a hand to it ... enough to deflect so it hits the left(far) post, bounces back across the goal mouth ... and Ferminus gets there first to the rebound.

I was right last game. I'm going to have a heart attack. Almost a second fluke goal.

We come back the other way. Saragih. To Yogi. To Sutanto, one man to be t and he's clear, but it's poked away by Rivelino[, bounces off Sutanto. Right to the man of the hour in the middle, Ningmabin. Volleys it from 18 ... easily beats Sriyanto to the left side!! Two goals for him, and it's 3-1!!!

Un-freaking-believable!!!!

78' -- Persikad go to a 4-2-4, it's desperation time.

79' -- Weak header by Sasongko, Sutanto moves to intercept ... but it bounces off him back towards the goal .... and right to Ferminus.

Just make this end.

82' -- Sutanto to Ewangin behind the field on the counter, tries to loop one into the right side as Sriyanto comes out but misses. Golden opportunity there, but we're ten minutes away.

84' -- Sasongko gets a close freekick, tries to go upstairs and Ferminus tips it over. Corner. Out of play. Fans starting to hit the exits.


FT --- That's it!!! Yet another come-from-behind win, 3-1, and we're eaded to the First Division Final!!! And how about Melianus Ningmabin -- you absolutely could not make this stuff up if you tried. If it was a movie I'd dismiss it as hyper-sentimental hogwash, but truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. What an amazing performance!!!!

Almost 4500 showed up for this one. Twice the size of our stadium.
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We've got a week and a half now before the final, and Yarangga might be back for it. Even if he is, Ningmabin's getting the start. He's earned it and then some.