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Thanks!
11.17 -- The press(specifically the Oksibil Soccer Paper) comes out with a story that I'm about to get fired and a poor result tomorrow could seal my fate. Seriously? After starting the year with a win like that?
11.18 @ Jakarta Timur(1-0-0) We next visit a new foe, but they got our attention by beating last year's group champion Persemalra 2-1 in their opener. Prasetyo instead of Patay on the back line, Sutanto instead of Bayhaqi up front as I'm trying to develop something of a rotation. We're slight underdogs here.
I tell the team to go out and do just what they did last time(though we'll be looking to counter more on the road). Ewangin reacted particularly well to that.
4' -- They were the aggressors early, and Sosomar sucked our defense into the middle, then kicked right to Iyai. He dribbled into the area, went for a cross-angle shot which was off the post and rolled across the goal mouth, but they had no-one close and Muda cleared it. Inches away there, fellas. Clean it up.
5' -- Iswadi beat two of our defenders to a header, sharply struck but right at Ferminus. The early returns are that we are in trouble today. Less than a minute later, Ewangin found Yogi just inside the area for our first look, off-target with that try.
20' -- We've contested possession pretty well, but they're better in the air and at working the ball for better shots.
22' -- Weird play. Two JT players miss a goal kick from Ferminus, which goes all the way down, tracked down by Yogi who crosses but we can get nothing out of it.
24' -- Saputra intercepts a pass just their side of midfield, moves it up to Sutanto who delivers an absolute strike looping over their defense to Ewangin, he's in on the keeper and beats him up to the left corner! 1-0, we take the lead on his first goal of the year, but Sutanto really made that play with an exquisite pass of close to 30 yards.
33' -- Herlan sends a freekick that Yogi gets his head on, a long attempt there and wide right.
43' -- Absolutely incredible. Herlan's pass is taked by Irwansah, who literally just leaves the ball and runs away from it towards the sideline. He just left the ball there and ran away. Unfortunately for him, Yogi pounced on it and delivered a 25-yard strike! 2-0!!
That was probably the single stupidest play I've ever seen. But I'll take it.
HT -- Up 2-0, I pull Praestyo who is getting beat up physically and has made a number of mistakes. Not what we need in defense trying to protect a lead, and Patay will come on for him.
49' -- A straight-on freekick for Herlan from about 30 is easily handled.
54' -- Yogi up ahead on the right to Saragih, who doesn't control it very well and puts his angled shot into the side of the net.
59' -- Yarangga picks up his first hurt opponent of the year, and shortly after they are well off-target with a shot from just outside.
65' -- Kombo makes a sliding challenge and goes down hurt. It doesn't look good. Kasipmabin comes on.
69' -- Saragih crosses for Ewangin, but he had to lunge at that one a bit and it's wide left.
74' -- Fresh legs, [b]Ningmabin[b] on for Herlan. Before he can come on, Ewangin hits the left post on a long shot that almost gets him another score.
77' -- Blast it! Ferminus hurts himself a bit on a routine kick, don't know how serious it is, but I'm out of subs.
83' -- Veriyanto has a look courtesy of a bad clearance, almost like the one they gifted us earlier ... well off to the right.
85' -- An unreachable freekick by Iyai is just high, otherwhise very well placed.
FT -- Incredible, a 2-0 shutout on the road!! 5 goals to 1 through two games -- never in my wildest dreams did I imagine such a fantastic start to the year. Six points in five games ... how bout six points in two games!!
The Oksibil Soccer Paper was unavailable for comment.
Saragih is player of the match, though Yogi's delightful goal and Ewangin's shot to open the scoring made them worthy candidates as well. Of more concern to me was the condition of our two injured players. Ferminus has a twisted knee and will miss a little over a month -- Kombo appears to be just fine. Well, I'm glad we got our six points as it will obviously get more difficult with Setia in goal for a while. Let's just hope he doesn't injure himself and leave us without a keeper as happened last year ...
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