Defeat in friendly has 'no side effects'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian soccer team coach Nandar Iskandar is
\nstill optimistic that the poor result of his players in a
\nfriendly match against Singapore will not affect them
\npsychologically.<\/p>\n
Indonesia bowed out to defending champion Singapore 0-1
\nWednesday prior to the 2000 Tiger Cup which kicks off Nov. 5 in
\nBangkok and Chiang Mai, Thailand.<\/p>\n
He also defended his team's poor performance saying that the
\nresult had not revealed his team's strength.<\/p>\n
\"The defeat did not affect us psychologically because we
\nrealize that we can actually match Singapore, which fielded its
\nbest players in a full team. We were just out of luck. There
\nwon't be any significant changes in the Tiger Cup team lineup,\"
\nhe said in a media release on Wednesday night.<\/p>\n
Nandar said the players had not played any strong team after
\ncompleting the 2000 Asian Cup campaign in Lebanon which resulted
\nin a lack of good coordination among team members.<\/p>\n
He said the team still had time to improve during practice in
\nChiang Mai.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is in Group A with host Thailand, Myanmar and the
\nPhilippines. Brunei Darussalam was in the group before it
\nwithdrew from the competition. Group B consists of the 1998 Cup
\nholder Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Laos and Cambodia.<\/p>\n
Indonesia will have its first test against the Philippines
\nbefore the event's opening ceremony at 700th Anniversary stadium
\nin Chiangmai. Group B match will be staged at Tinsulanon stadium
\nin Songkhla. The semifinal and final events, scheduled on Nov. 16
\nand Nov. 18, will take place at Rajamangala stadium in Bangkok.<\/p>\n
During the friendly match, Indonesia fielded goalie Hendro
\nKartiko; Sugiantoro, Suwandi HS and Eko Purjianto in the defense
\nside; Budiman, Bima Sakti, Uston Nawawi, Imran Nahumarury and Aji
\nSantoso in the midfield and duo Miro Baldo Bento and Kurniawan
\nDwi Yulianto as the strikers.<\/p>\n
Singaporean midfield Nazri Nasir earned the single goal for
\nhis team in the 75th in front of a 4,000-strong crowd at Bishan
\nstadium in Jurong.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's team manager Muhammad Zein pointed his finger at
\ncaptain Aji as he failed to block Nasir who immediately netted
\nthe ball from Hendro's left side.<\/p>\n
\"Moreover, the referees did not supervise the match very well.
\nIndonesia should have been given two penalties but the referee
\nfailed to do so. Kurniawan also had two chances to earn goals but
\nhe could not make it,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Singapore beat Vietnam in the final of the 1998 Cup in Hanoi
\nto win its first title in the region. It beat Indonesia 2-1 in
\nthe semifinals.<\/p>\n
Indonesia finished third after outplaying Thailand 8-7 in a
\npenalty shootout. Indonesia and Thailand marred the 1998 event
\nwhen they played a farcical game in which they refused to win to
\navoid playing the home team in the semis. (ivy)<\/p>",
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