Indonesian football rivals meet for first time since stadium tragedy

JAKARTA: Two Indonesian football teams whose last game ended in one of the deadliest disasters in the sport's history met again under heavy security and without spectators.

A stampede at Kanjuruhan Stadium in the East Java city of Malang in October killed 135 people, including more than 40 children.

It happened after police fired tear gas into packed stands when home supporters invaded the pitch at the end of a match between East Javan rivals Arema FC and visitors Persebaya Surabaya.

The two sides met again on Tuesday (Apr 11), this time at a stadium owned by the Indonesian national police force in the south of the capital Jakarta.

The match ended in a 1-0 victory for Persebaya after Arema missed a last-minute penalty.

"Rivalry is only 90 minutes. After that we're brothers. Humanity above all else," Persebaya wrote on their official Instagram account.

The match was guarded by hundreds of security forces around the stadium and only a few officials linked to the clubs were allowed inside.

There were no reports of fan trouble outside the stadium.

The game was set to take place in March but was postponed by officials who recommended it take place outside of Persebaya's hometown in East Java because of risks including crowd trouble.

Police described the Oct 1 pitch invasion - after Arema lost 3-2 - as a riot and said two officers were killed, but survivors and investigators said the police used excessive force.

Five Indonesian men, including three police officers, were charged with negligence after the tragedy and remain on trial.

The tragedy forced Indonesian officials and fans to confront failings in every aspect of the domestic game, which has been blighted for years by shaky infrastructure, mismanagement and violence.

Last month