User:Annas86/2008LIPD

The 2008–09 Liga Indonesia Premier Division, also known as 2008–09 Liga Esia due to sponsoring purposes, was the fourteenth season of the Liga Indonesia Premier Division. It is the first season for Liga Indonesia Premier Division as second level of the Indonesian football pyramid, after the inception of Indonesia Super League as the first level of the Indonesian football pyramid.

Changes from 2007 season
This is the first time for Liga Indonesia Premier Division as second-tier football league in Indonesia, were Football Association of Indonesia decided to replace it with newly created Indonesian Super League as a top-tier football league in Indonesia.

For this season, the league will used two groups format (with 15 and 14 teams respectively) in the first round. Top four of each group advanced to the second round or quarter final. Eight teams in the second round will be divided into two groups of four, the top two teams in each group advanced to the semifinal in the knock-out system. Champions, runners-up, and 3rd place team promoted to Indonesia Super League, while 4th place team facing 15th place team from 2008-09 Indonesia Super League in a promotion/relegation play-off match. 14th and 15th place teams in first round from each group, relegated to First Division.

Season overview
It was performed in 29 teams. The season began on 4 August 2008 and the last games played on 29 May 2009. Persisam Samarinda won the championship.

Promoted team to the Indonesia Super League is Persisam Samarinda, Persema Malang, PSPS Pekanbaru. Promoted team to the Indonesia Super League via promotion/relegation play-off is Persebaya Surabaya, after beating 15th place team in Indonesia Super League PSMS Medan, with a penalty shoot-out. Relegated team to Liga Indonesia First Division is Persibat Batang, PSP Padang and Persekabpas Pasuruan.

Top four from group 1 in the first round respectively is Persisam Samarinda, PSPS Pekanbaru, Mitra Kukar, and Persikabo Bogor and from group 2 is Persema Malang, Persebaya Surabaya, Persiba Bantul, Persigo Gorontalo. Host for quarter final is Persisam Samarinda and Persema Malang as the group winner. Both advanced to the semifinal, again as a group winner. In the semifinal Persisam Samarinda beat PSPS Pekanbaru and Persema Malang beat Persebaya Surabaya. Persisam Samarinda won the championship with 1-0 victory over Persema Malang.

On 12 November 2008 in their match away to Persibom at Gelora Ambang Kotamobagu Stadium, PSIR players attacks and injured referee, and later also the referee who replaced him. The match ended in 1-0 for Persibom. PSIR were suspended for two years following the attacks on both referees, but on appeal in 1 December 2008 the suspension was lifted, and their next match was rescheduled. Next day after the incident PSIR player Yongki Rantung, Tadis Suryanto and Stevie Kusoi was banned from football for life. Five days later Stanley Mamuaya was banned from football for life, while other player Stanley Katuuk, Gery Mandagi, and M Orah was banned from football for two years.

Incident began when referee Muzair Usman pointed a penalty for Persibom. Anger with referee decision, PSIR players punch and kick him until down. Not satisfied to persecution, the players are crazy trample him, which makes he had to be rushed to hospital with bruised. After the referee was replaced by reserve referee Jusman R.A, similar incident almost happened to him. He even chased and was stripped naked in the field after showing a red card to the PSIR player, who commits a bad challenge. Later Muzair Usman, Jusman R.A and match inspector Sukarno Wahid get a reward from PSSI, as they considered to be promote football apparatus image in Indonesia, with their justice, bravery and loyalty.

Groups
The competition was divided into two groups, based on geographical. Group 1 or West Group is for clubs from Sumatera, Kalimantan and Western part of Java, while Group 2 or East Group is for clubs from Eastern part of Java and Eastern Indonesia.

First round
GROUP 1
 * 1 Persikad Depok were deducted three points.

GROUP 2
 * 1 PSS Sleman were deducted three points.
 * 2 Persis Solo were deducted one points.
 * 3 Persekabpas Pasuruan were deducted three points.

Second round
GROUP A Note : All matches played in Malang.

GROUP B Note : All matches played in Samarinda.

Promotion/Relegation playoff
On 30 June 2009, promotion/relegation play-off match was held in Si Jalak Harupat Stadium, Soreang. 4th place team in Liga Indonesia Premier Division Persebaya Surabaya play against 15th place team in 2008-09 Indonesia Super League PSMS Medan. The winner will play in Indonesia Super League next season, while the loser will play in Liga Indonesia Premier Division.

Top scorers
This a list of top scorers in 2008-2009 season.