The players were in high spirits."Yogyakarta (ANTARA News) - Two Indonesian soccer teams, namely PSS Sleman of Yogyakarta Province and Persipura of Papua Province, shared 0-0 score at the opening match of the President Cup II 2017 national soccer championship held here on Saturday (Feb. 4).
PSS Sleman, the host team, which will downgrade to League II (Main Division), and Persipura of Papua Province, which remains at League I (Super League), as well as champion at the Indonesia Soccer Championship (ISC), attracted the attention of around 31 thousand spectators during the first match of the president cup tournament.
"The players (PSS Sleman) were in high spirits. Although (this team) failed to win the match, the results were good enough. Moreover, the opponents we faced were the players of Persipura," according to PSS Slemans coach Fredy Muly here on Saturday.
Although relying on local players, (PSS Sleman) players really remained enthusiastic since the beginning of the game. These players did not flinch from facing the experienced team (Persipura).
In the first half, both clubs, PSS Sleman and Persipura, had many opportunities to score goals.
In the second half, Persipura fielded new players, including its foreign national goal keeper Yoo Jae Hoon and another player Robertino Pugliara, but this effort did not help this team score a single goal.
In the meantime, Persipuras coach Alfredo Vera admitted that PSS Sleman played well.
"PSS Sleman players performed well and made it difficult for us (to score a goal)," he said.
The President Cup II 2017 national soccer championship was officially opened by President Joko Widodo, by kicking off the ball at Maguwohardjo International Stadium, in Sleman, Yogyakarta, in Central Java on Saturday.
(Reported by Bayu Kuncahyo/Uu.B003/INE/KR-BSR/A014)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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