Indonesia beats Malaysia 6-0, crowns Group B<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's soccer team tops the Group B
\nstandings after the national team overwhelmed Malaysia 6-0 at the
\nTrack and Field Stadium in the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports
\nComplex in the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Brunei on
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
With the result, Indonesia has collected seven goal points
\nfrom two matches, while second-place Singapore has two goals
\nafter its first match. Indonesia beat Cambodia 1-0 in the first
\nmatch on Saturday, while Singapore won 2-1 against Malaysia.<\/p>\n
In another Group B match on Monday, Brunei tied 3-3 with
\nCambodia.<\/p>\n
A free kick from midfielder Haryanto Prasetyo in the fifth
\nminute opened the scoring in Monday's game. Three minutes later,
\nHaryanto passed the ball to striker Rocky Puttiray, who quickly
\nheaded it into the net for Indonesia's second goal.<\/p>\n
In the second half, Indonesian coach Bernhard Schumm replaced
\nmidfielder Aji Santoso, who injured his right hand, with Anang
\nMa'ruf. Schumm also substituted Uston Nawawi for Haryanto, who
\nwas injured in a clash with a Malaysian player.<\/p>\n
Indonesia increased its offensive intensity in the second half
\nagainst Malaysia, which was forced to send players forward in an
\nattempt to get back in the match. Unfortunately for Malaysia,
\nthis opened its defense up to the Indonesian strikers.<\/p>\n
The youngest member of the Indonesian team, Bambang Pamungkas,
\nscored the third and fourth goals for Indonesia in the 49th and
\nthe 57th minutes, thanks to beautiful feeds from Anang.<\/p>\n
Veteran player Ali Sunan netted Indonesia's fifth goal in the
\n81st minute and Rocky capped off the Indonesian triumph with a
\ngoal one minute later.<\/p>\n
All-Indonesian Soccer Federation (PSSI) chairman Agum Gumelar
\nsaid he was satisfied with the team's performance and reiterated
\nhis optimism that Indonesia could win the gold.<\/p>\n
\"I am very satisfied. The team had more confidence than in
\ntheir game against Cambodia,\" said the three-star general, who
\nwatched Monday's match at the stadium.<\/p>\n
Agum was quoted by Antara as saying the Indonesian soccer team
\nshould not lose its concentration and remain focused on its
\nmatches against Singapore on Aug. 6 and host Brunei on Aug. 9.<\/p>\n
Denial<\/p>\n
Separately, national striker Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto -- who was
\ndropped from the SEA Games team after testing positive for
\namphetamines -- denied reports he used psychotropic substances to
\nstimulate his performance on the soccer field.<\/p>\n
Kurniawan, who failed three drug tests conducted by the
\nNational Sports Council (KONI) and the Jakarta Doping Laboratory,
\nclaimed he had stopped using drugs and was now pursuing a career
\nas a professional player.<\/p>\n
\"I have stopped using drugs. I used to consume drugs, but I
\nthink that's common for young people. I feel I am clean now, but
\npeople are beginning to talk about my past and it stopped me from
\ncompeting in Brunei,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He asked the public to continue supporting him and his soccer
\ncareer.<\/p>\n
\"With all of my heart, I frankly declare that I still need
\neverybody's support. I will return to the soccer field, compete,
\nscore goals and win. I will never stop because soccer is my
\nworld,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The drug tests have sparked controversy. Kurniawan's lawyer
\nGandjar L.B. Bondan regretted KONI's decision to drop Kurniawan
\nfrom the SEA Games squad, saying it would harm the 23-year-old
\nplayer psychologically.<\/p>\n
\"KONI did not take into account the last doping test (on July
\n29) which could have been used to enable him to join the SEA
\nGames team. Besides, Kurniawan was never asked to discuss the
\nresults or given a chance to discuss the matter with KONI,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
In a written statement, Kurniawan said he had consumed
\ntraditional herbal medicines to treat muscle pain and a medicine
\ncalled Becomzet before the drug tests.<\/p>\n
KONI's chief of the sports science commission, Dr. Carmen
\nJahja, said someone physically manipulated Kurniawan's urine
\nsample from his last test in July 29.<\/p>\n
\"His urine was very clear, like water. He either drank a lot
\nin the last 24 hours or someone replaced his urine sample,\" she
\nsaid on Monday.<\/p>\n
She suggested Kurniawan undergo rehabilitation for his drug
\naddiction. \"Let's stop the controversy. It's much more important
\nto help him get over his addiction.\" (ivy)<\/p>",
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