Persis Solo
- Persis Solo are unbeaten in their last five Liga 1 matches (W2 D3).
- Milomir Šešlija’s pragmatic, defence-first approach has steadied the ship at Persis Solo, which has responded with an unbeaten run at just the right time.
- Persis will press high and sit in a hybrid 4-4-2/4-3-3 formation that looks to disrupt opponents through physical duels in the first line and turnovers in transition.
Semen Padang
- Semen Padang have a mixed record of one win, two draws and two losses in their last five.
- Imran Nahumarury has been Semen’s new boss since March and is focused on keeping things compact and surviving this season.
- Kasim Botan has brought energy and pace to the flanks since arriving in March, while Irsyad Maulana brings creativity and set-piece threat and is a veteran who can lead the team through this tense final run-in.
- Semen have set up in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 for much of the season and try to get numbers behind the ball and then hit the wings when they get the opportunity.
- Their recent results have been patchy with a 0-2 home defeat to Persib being a hammer-blow to their survival hopes, followed by a 4-0 defeat at Bhayangkara FC.
Persis Solo
- Dejan Tumbas is a reliable goal threat for the hosts, having scored in the 3-0 home win over Bali United in March.
- Roman Paparyga has been a reliable source of goals too - including a late equalizer at PSM last time out.
Semen Padang
- Kasim Botan has brought energy and pace to the flanks since arriving in March.
- Irsyad Maulana brings creativity and set-piece threat and is a veteran who can lead the team through this tense final run-in.
Betting Insights
- The bookmakers have priced the home side as favorites at 1.94, with Semen at 3.42 as big underdogs and the draw at 3.4.
- We think it could be close and the odds on the ‘Under 2.5 goals’ market (2.08) have appeal because both teams have been involved in low-scoring matches recently and set up to be defensively solid.
Prediction
With rain forecast for match day in Surakarta, a game of chess with a physical edge will suit Persis Solo more than Semen if it turns into a heavy game, so we will take a draw or a tight home win as our preferred option in the result markets.
