BRI Liga 1 Opening Weekend Matches: Madura United vs Malut United and PSM Makassar vs Persis Solo
It has been revealed that Persija Jakarta’s planned friendly match against Atletico Madrid was canceled due to their involvement in the 2024 President’s Cup. Rumors had circulated that Persija was scheduled to play Atletico Madrid on Saturday (August 3) at Jakarta International Stadium (JIS) in preparation for the new season. However, Persija advanced to the semifinals of the 2024 President’s Cup and had to compete for third place against Persis Solo on the same day at Stadion Manahan, Solo. “It was definitely not possible because we were involved in the third-place match of the 2024 President’s Cup,” Persija’s Director Mohamad Prapanca told reporters. He added that Atletico Madrid could only visit on that specific date, which conflicted with Persija’s schedule. “We were prepared to host them, but we had to follow the regulations of our federation,” Prapanca said. Prapanca is unsure if Atletico Madrid will still visit Indonesia after the friendly was canceled. He mentioned that Persija initially planned to test their strength against the Spanish giants. “I’m not sure. You should inquire with the promoter about Atletico Madrid’s visit. Regarding the planning, yes, the plan was made,” Prapanca added. “But the promoter also needs to get approval from our federation and PT LIB to see if it could be arranged during the 2024 President’s Cup,” he concluded.
Persija Jakarta might be one of the most passive clubs for the upcoming Liga 1 season. So far, Macan Kemayoran has only signed one player. Carlos Bueno is the only new addition to Persija. The 29-year-old midfielder previously played in the Spanish third division. Carlos Bueno’s performances in the 2024 President’s Cup have also been underwhelming. In three matches, his role in midfield hasn’t been particularly prominent. Persija still has two foreign player slots available for next season. Currently, Macan Kemayoran has filled six of the available foreign slots. From the start, Persija’s management had planned to use only six foreign players. Besides Bueno, the other five are Ondrej Kudela, Maciej Gajos, Ryo Matsumura, Marko Simic, and Gustavo Almeida. Persija’s coach, Carlos Pena, has spoken about the possibility of adding more players to the squad for the upcoming Liga 1 season. Discussions with management are necessary. “Regarding new recruits, this is something I need to discuss with management,” said Carlos Pena. The call for Persija to seek additional players has grown louder after Macan Kemayoran was defeated 0-3 by Bali United on Friday night (July 26) at Captain I Wayan Dipta Stadium, Gianyar, in their third President’s Cup Group B match. “Of course, we will try to find solutions to strengthen the team as best as possible,” Carlos Pena said. “We still have time before the league starts. Let’s see what moves we can make,” he added.
BRI Liga 1 kicked off the 2024/2025 season with two matches on Saturday (August 10, 2024) evening WIB. In the first game, Madura United was held to a draw by Malut United, while PSM Makassar secured a decisive victory over Persis Solo. At the Gelora Bangkalan Stadium, Madura United, the finalist from last season, hosted Malut United, a newly promoted team. The match was evenly contested until the end of the first half when Malut United’s foreign player, Cassio Scheid, committed a serious foul. After reviewing VAR, referee Sance Lawita upgraded Cassio’s yellow card to a red card. Returning from the break, Madura United, now with a numerical advantage, put pressure on Malut United’s defense. In the 65th minute, Yance Sayuri fouled Irfan Andi in the penalty area, and the referee awarded a penalty. After a lengthy delay due to protests from Malut United players, Lulinha calmly converted the penalty into a goal. However, Malut United refused to give up. In the 80th minute, they earned a direct free kick inside Madura United’s penalty area. Tatsuro Nagamatsu took advantage of this opportunity to score. The 1-1 scoreline remained unchanged until the final whistle, with both teams sharing a point. Meanwhile, PSM Makassar hosted Persis Solo at the Batakan Stadium in Balikpapan. PSM’s new foreign recruit, Nermin Haljeta, made a significant impact by scoring twice, in the 23rd and 32nd minutes. In the second half, Persis attempted to fight back but struggled to break through PSM’s solid defense. Instead, PSM extended their lead in the 74th minute with a fantastic solo run by Rizky Eka Pratama, finishing with a shot that Muhammad Riyandi could not stop. The final score was 3-0 in favor of PSM, placing them alongside Persib Bandung at the top of the BRI Liga 1 2024/2025 standings.
The match between PSM Makassar and Persis Solo on Saturday, August 10, 2024, will be streamed live on Vidio starting at 15:30 WIB. PSM Makassar has undergone significant player changes, losing the Sayuri brothers and yet to find suitable replacements. PSM struggled in the 2024 President’s Cup, failing to win any of their three preseason matches. On the other hand, Persis Solo performed reasonably well in the President’s Cup, losing only twice in five games. Despite some inconsistency, Persis Solo, led by experienced coach Milomir Seslija, may start the league on a strong note. The teams previously met in the 2024 President’s Cup group stage, where they drew 2-2. In the 2023/2024 season, each team won one match against the other, both by a score of 1-0. PSM Makassar is expected to field many young players in the 2024/2025 season, aiming to play a ‘rock and roll’ style with their youth. However, experienced players like Muhammad Arfan and Yuran Fernandes will be crucial for the team. If they can effectively lead both tactically and technically, PSM could become a formidable team. “PSM Makassar has a lot of young players promoted to the senior team. But once again, I am ready to work hard and compete,” said PSM Makassar’s young player, Mufli Hidayat.
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