Indonesia aims to defeat Myanmar in Tiger Cup<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian soccer team aims to reach the final
\nfour of the Tiger Cup by defeating Myanmar in the last Group A
\nround-robin match on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Indonesia and Myanmar share three points each after one win
\nand one loss but Myanmar is ahead in goal differences. A draw is
\nenough for Myanmar to accompany host Thailand in the last four.<\/p>\n
Coach Nandar Iskandar said: "We have to win. We will play
\noffensively. It's likely that Myanmar will play defensively to
\ntie, but we will try to figure out a way to score. Maybe we can
\ndo it by creating a scrimmage."<\/p>\n
Nandar will field duo strikers Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto and
\njunior Gendut Doni Christiawan. He will also field goalkeeper I
\nKomang Putra despite his failure to secure the net from Thai's
\nbombardment on Friday.<\/p>\n
In defense, Nandar will put Eko Purjianto and Nuralim as
\nstoppers and either Jet Donald Laala or Sugiantoro as libero. In
\nmidfield, Bima Sakti will serve as playmaker with Uston Nawawi
\nand Imran Nahumarury ahead while Ismet Sofyan and Budiman will
\noperate at the wings.<\/p>\n
"We're looking for more attackers. With this scheme, I think
\nImran is fit for the job," he told a teleconference which was
\nheld in cooperation with Indosat international call operator.<\/p>\n
However, Nandar complained that some of his players, including
\ngoalie Hendro Kartiko, Bima, Sugiantoro and Seto were injured
\nafter collisions with Thai players.<\/p>\n
Nandar said the 1-4 loss to Thailand on Friday had hurt him
\nand raised questions on the overall team performance.<\/p>\n
"The 1-4 defeat is a shot to my head. The result is woeful.
\nJudged on our preparation, we should not have lost so badly. I
\neven predicted that our players would match the Thais in the
\nearlier minutes, but things changed after the Thais scored the
\nfirst goal."<\/p>\n
Nandar said Jet was homesick for his family in East Kalimantan
\nand did not perform well. He also said that he was almost fed up
\nwith striker Miro Baldo Bento, an East Timorese playing for PSM
\nMakassar.<\/p>\n
Bento was hastily added to the Tiger Cup team lineup, along
\nwith teammates Budiman and Suwandi HS. Bento's inclusion sparked
\ncontroversy as he earlier said that he would rather play in his
\ncountry than in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Bento, a 1998 Tiger Cup veteran, is scoreless in two matches.
\nWhile Suwandi was blamed for his failure in marking Thai players
\nwhich allow them to earn two goals.<\/p>\n
"When we discuss the Tiger Cup lineup after we complete our
\nAsian Cup campaign, I want the three players to be well prepared
\nfor the upcoming event. But I see here that only two of them,
\nSuwandi and Budiman, who are ready for a match."<\/p>\n
"While Bento is below form and lacks discipline." he said.<\/p>\n
He said that all his players had failed to execute his
\ninstructions and strategy in this year's campaign, but he
\ninsisted that it was not caused by the short preparation.<\/p>\n
"I keep asking myself whether the players are tired or getting
\nbored with the program, or is there some other reason which is
\nout of my reach. What happened to this team?" (ivy)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-aims-to-defeat-myanmar-in-tiger-cup-1447893297",
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