Arema Malang Roars Into Karawang, Walks Away With Second Place

The Crazy Lions are out to show they mean business this season.

Arema Malang defeated Pelita Jaya 2-0 in Karawang, West Java, on Wednesday, and moved into second place in the Indonesian Super League table.

A goal in each half — courtesy of midfielders Roman Chmelo and Rahmat Affandi — secured Arema’s away victory and gave the club 14 points, the same as Persiba Balikpapan, which tops the table on goal difference.

The East Java club, which dominated possession throughout the match, seemed unaffected by the raucous crowd at Singaperbangsa Stadium.

Robert Rene Alberts’s squad didn’t waste any time and started pouring the pressure on the hosts from the opening whistle.

After intercepting Pelita defender Ardan Aras’s pass, Arema midfielder Muhammad Ridhuan found an unmarked Chmelo, who scored past goalkeeper I Made Wardhana in the fourth minute.

A goal down, Pelita decided to play a more free-flowing game, with midfielder Firman Utina orchestrating the club’s offense, but they couldn’t find the equalizer.

The closest the hosts came was a Daniel Fonseca header, which snuck past Arema keeper Kurnia Meiga but hit the post in the eighth minute.

In the second half, Arema’s defense stifled Pelita’s attack. In the 83rd minute, midfielder Rahmat doubled his team’s lead as the Lions secured their fourth win of the season.

Besides Arema, which finished 10th in the league last season, only Persijap Jepara and defending champion Persipura Jayapura haven’t lost a match this season.

Pelita, which was playing only its second match in its new home stadium, lost for the fifth time in seven matches. The club sits in 17th place with two points from two draws, only one point better than last-place Persitara North Jakarta.

Meanwhile in Wamena, host Persiwa beat Persib Bandung 2-0 at Pendidikan Stadium.

Striker Erick Weeks Lewis scored from the penalty spot in the third minute, and Eddie Foday Boakay added the second in the 46th. Lewis and Boakay have scored six goals each and are joint leaders atop the scoring table. PSPS Pekanbaru’s Herman Dzumafo Epandi and Persebaya Surabaya striker Andi Oddang have the same goal count.

The victory moved Persiwa up to third place with 13 points, while Persib stayed in 15th with six points from six matches.

Antara, JG

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