Marcos Santos Praises Arema FC Players' Performance, Mauro Zijlstra Contributes a Goal

Arema FC closed out their BRI Super League home fixture with a convincing victory, thrashing Isenmulang Kalteng FC 4-0 at Kanjuruhan Stadium, Malang Regency, East Java on Friday. Arema FC head coach Marcos Santos praised the performance of his players, who executed match instructions and strategy properly throughout the full 90 minutes.

"I appreciate everything that the players have shown on the pitch, they performed exceptionally. I also want to recognise the coaching staff, who worked extremely hard to prepare every detail for this match," stated Marcos during the post-match press conference.

According to the Brazilian head coach, Isenmulang was not an easy opponent. The visiting side maximised their physical advantage in all individual duels throughout the game. Nevertheless, Arema responded to this challenge with solid discipline.

As a result, Arema not only neutralised Isenmulang's physical playing style, but also scored four goals without conceding a single one. This win secured all three available points from their home match.

Four Players Receive Special Praise

Marcos gave special recognition to four Arema FC players: Alfarizie, Diego Landis, Marcos Vinicius, and Mauro Zijlstra.

All four became key figures in Arema's forward line, with each of them registering their name on the scoresheet over the course of the match.

"I am very happy with what they have delivered," he remarked.

For Marcos, Arema's victory was also closely tied to the atmosphere created by the Aremanita supporters inside Kanjuruhan Stadium.

Support from this '13th player' boosted the entire Arema squad's motivation to perform at a higher level.

Mauro Zijlstra Returns From Injury

One player that drew particular attention was Mauro Zijlstra. The forward on loan from Persija Jakarta stated he was delighted to help Arema claim victory, after being forced to sit out matches previously due to injury.

The fixture against Isenmulang was Zijlstra's first opportunity to return to competitive match atmosphere with the Singo Edan squad, marking his comeback by scoring a goal.

Zijlstra explained that his performance was supported by clear guidance from Marcos Santos. The head coach provided him with detailed instructions regarding Arema's tactics and playing style, to help him properly understand the team's requirements.

"This included guidance on the team's defensive structure, for example how we operate the compact 4-4-2 system. That definitely helped me a lot," he added.

Despite scoring on his comeback match, Zijlstra acknowledged that his adaptation process at Arema is not yet complete. He still requires additional time to fully understand the full playing characteristics of the team.

This 4-0 win over Isenmulang provides a positive starting point for Zijlstra as he works to regain full match rhythm.