Steven Danis
Football Tribe Indonesia
PSM Makassar earned a big comeback win on Pakansari Stadium against Singaporean club, Home United. Juku Eja bounced back after conceding two goals, to hit three of their own within the last 20 minutes. The comeback victory sealed the Indonesian side’s spot in the knock out phase.
The rain which showered Bogor City since morning left both sides wishing for better conditions. Additionally, both teams suffered big losses in their last matches. PSM Makassar lost 4-2 against Bhayangkara FC in the 1st leg of 2018-2019 Piala Indonesia’s quarter-final while The Protectors were beaten 4-0 by Japanese satellite club, Albirex Niigata, in the Singapore Premier League.
In addition to fatigue and poor conditions, PSM Makassar were without Eero Markkanen and Abdul Rahman, due to card accumulation. Home United also missed Aqhari Abdullah, which got a red card in the last match against Lao Toyota. Hami Syahnin, who scored in the first game against PSM, filled Abdullah’s position.
Home United looked to pressed PSM’s defensive line in the first ten minutes. Song Ui-young and Abdil Qaiyyim had some chances from set-pieces, but thankfully there was no serious threat to Rivky Mokodompit’s goal. For the next ten minutes, PSM managed to get out from Home’s tempo and creates some chances from on the counter-attack. Naturalized striker Guy Junior, who started alone up front for the hosts, worked a chance from outside the box after receiving Wiljan Pluim’s through pass. Unfortunately, the Cameroonian-born striker’s shoot only was unable to find Nazri Sabri’s goal.
Home United got another big chance right before the half-time when Marc Klok fouled Song Ui-young at the edge of the penalty box. The referee called for a free-kick and the captain Muhammad Izzdin Shafiq stepped up to take the shot. His effort was only inches away from the right corner of Rivky’s goal.
As the rain stopped at the beginning of the second half, both teams upped the tempo and pressure. However, it was Home United who took advantage in the first ten minutes. Surprisingly, Hafiz Nor managed to score two goals in quick succession, leading the Singaoporean side to overtake PSM at the top of the group standing.
Faced with a tough task to get back into the game, Darije Kalezic made a smart substitution. M. Rahmat came on for Benny Wahyudi, who lost his focus and allowed the right side of the defense to broke by broken by Home’s winger. Asnawi Mangkualam filled Benny’s position and Rahmat came forward to help the side’s attack.
Rahmat’s pace and penetration was successful in advancing PSM’s attacks, and make Ho Wai Loon handball inside the penalty box. Marc Klok successfully did his duty and shrank the goal gap down to one.
In the 64th minute, substitute Rahmat worked his magic again when he got a nice through pass from Rizky Pellu and blasted the ball through Sabri’s goal. However, when the referee blew his whistle, it was not to declare a goal, but to claim it as an offside. Surprisingly the protests came not from PSM, but from the Home United. The interim coach, Noh Rahman, and one of his assistants were driven out because of excessive protest before the referee claimed Rahmat’s goal was offside.
PSM then get the equalizer at the 78th minutes when Marc Klok hit a perfect volley into the back of the net, re-establishing parity with a 2-2 scoreline.
With the visitors now fatigued, PSM used their momentum to claim the winning goal four minutes before the end of regulation time. Guy Junior succeeded killing the game with a low shoot outside of the box through Sabri’s left side, leading PSM to win and collected a total of 11 points from five games.