The second series of the 2021/22 Liga 1 Indonesia season kicked off last weekend, with the action shifting from the provinces of West Java, Banten, and the Jakarta Capital Region to the provinces of Central Java and the Yogyakarta Special Region. However, the 7th matchweek of the current Liga 1 season was more noteworthy for the high amount of red cards being issued in matches. A total of five red cards were awarded throughout Matchweek 7, with the cards being handed out in four out of the nine matches being played.
The first player sent off in Matchweek 7 was Persela Lamongan’s Akbar Hermawan, who received his marching orders in the 84th minute of his team’s 2-2 draw with fellow East Javan side Madura United at the Maguwoharjo Stadium in Sleman on Saturday. With the match being played out a day after the 4th anniversary of the death of legendary Persela goalkeeper Choirul Huda, the Laskar Joko Tingkir were determined to honor his memory with a win.
However, as Persela were leading 2-1 into the dying minutes of the match, Iwan Setiawan’s charges found themselves being a man down after Akbar had received his second yellow card for a bookable offense outside the area. The subsequent free-kick was then executed perfectly by Jaja, resulting in Madura United being able to claw themselves a point.
The second and third red cards of Matchweek 7 were issued in Persebaya Surabaya’s 3-1 win over Persipura Jayapura on Saturday’s late kick-off, also at the Maguwoharjo. With the Bajul Ijo wrapping up the points to their name, a fracas broke out in the 90th minute between Persipura’s Israel Wamiau and Persebaya’s Bruno Moreira.
The referee had previously awarded a foul on David Rumakiek for improperly stopping Bruno, before all of a sudden Israel came barging into the Brazilian’s body from behind. Immediately Bruno responded by shoving Israel into the ground and the two had to be separated by their teammates before the referee sent the two of them off the pitch.
Israel subsequently went to the Persebaya base camp to personally apologize to Bruno the day after the match.
The last two red cards, both issued on Sunday’s matches, came underneath bizarre and controversial circumstances.
Bali United goalkeeper Wawan Hendrawan was sent off in the dying minutes of his team’s 2-1 defeat at the hands of PSM Makassar at the Sultan Agung Stadium in Bantul. The veteran shot-stopper did not receive his marching orders because he had fouled a PSM player, instead, Wawan was given a red card for slapping teammate Willian Pacheco on the back of his head. Wawan was angry at Willian for allowing both Wiljan Pluim and Azka Fauzi to carve out a chance that could put PSM 3-1 up late into the game.
Brazilian defender Willian almost retaliated to Wawan’s slap, however, their teammates managed to defuse the situation while Wawan was sent off for his violent conduct. Wawan’s sending off forced defender Leonard Tupamahu to play in goal for the final few seconds of the match as Bali United had used all of their allowed substitutions at that point.
Equally bizarre and controversial was the sending off of Arema FC’s Kushedya Hari Yudo in the Singo Edan‘s 1-0 win over Persija Jakarta at the Manahan Stadium in Solo. Having replaced Ridwan Tawainella during half-time, Indonesia national team striker Kushedya only saw 23 minutes of action before receiving a second yellow card in the 68th minute for an alleged dive.
But Kushedya’s dismissal wasn’t the only strange decision made by referee Oki Dwi Putra, as Persija had a legitimate equalizer from Marko Simic being chalked off for a foul occurring in the goal’s build-up right in the final minutes of the match.
Matchweek 7 saw the likes of Bali United, Persija, and league leaders Bhayangkara FC losing their unbeaten statuses, the latter being beaten 2-0 by Persib Bandung at the Moch. Soebroto Stadium in Magelang on Saturday.
Controversy broke out at the end of the match as Bhayangkara manager Sumardji had allegedly spat on and shoved Persib head coach Robert Rene Alberts. The incident occurred during a heated row between the two clubs’ officials after Robert had reportedly provoked the Bhayangkara camp following a penalty miss from the Guardians’ former Persib striker Ezechiel N’Douassel in the 82nd minute.
With tensions rising between the Indonesian public towards the Indonesian National Police following the former’s increasing distrust towards the latter, Sumardji alluded that Robert’s words had something to do with said tension, however, Bhayangkara head coach Paul Munster stated that Robert had accused his side of match-fixing, with Paul’s words being acknowledged by Sumardji as well.
Ending a run of four straight draws, Persib became one of the only two teams yet to taste defeat in this season’s Liga 1, alongside surprise packages PSIS Semarang who thrashed Persik Kediri 3-0 in their Matchweek 7 game. The huge win allowed Ian Gillan’s side to anchor themselves in 2nd place, stalking leaders Bhayangkara as the Mahesa Jenar plot for a potential first league title since the 1998/99 season.