Perseta 1970 Tulungagung manager Rudi Iswahyudi said on Tuesday that the incident occurred in the 72nd minute when Firman tried to take the ball from PS Putra Jaya Pasuruan player M. Hilmi Gimnastiar.
"Firman was kicked hard in the chest. After the incident, he suffered a seizure and had to be treated in an ambulance," said Rudi.
Even though he received medical treatment on the field, Firman refused to be taken straight to the hospital because he felt his condition was starting to improve.
However, that evening Firman complained of shortness of breath to the Perseta 1970 Tulungagung official team.
Following up on the complaint, the official team took Firman to Bangkalan District Hospital to undergo further examination, including an X-ray.
"The X-ray results showed a fracture in the lower rib. This condition is categorized as a serious and high-risk injury," said Rudi.
Based on the medical results, Perseta 1970 Tulungagung management decided to rest Firman from training and match activities until he is declared fully recovered by the medical team.
Rudi added that although the situation had affected the mental state of the other players, management emphasized that player safety was the top priority, especially as Perseta 1970 Tulungagung was battling in the last 32 of the East Java League 4.
"Firman is currently under observation by the medical team. Management takes full responsibility for the player's recovery and will not take any risks," he said.
