Indonesia boosts its chance for Asian Cup final<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The national soccer team is likely to represent
\nSoutheast Asia in the Asian Cup final in Lebanon next year after
\nit drubbed Hong Kong 3-1 in the Group 7 match of the cup's
\nprequalifying round at Senayan Stadium on Sunday.<\/p>\n
In front of 30,000 spectators, Indonesian midfielder Anang
\nMa'ruf opened the way to victory with a goal in the sixth minute
\nof the first half off a pass from midfielder Aji Santoso.<\/p>\n
Hong Kong increased the pressure on the Indonesian side, but
\nit failed to score before the close of the first half.<\/p>\n
In the second half, Indonesian coach Nandar Iskandar replaced
\nveteran striker Widodo C. Putro with junior Bambang Pamungkas.<\/p>\n
It proved an effective move as Bambang assisted fellow striker
\nRocky M. E. Puttiray to score in the 47th minute and put the
\nwinning goal in the net in the 71st minute.<\/p>\n
Hong Kong benefited by a gap in the Indonesian defense for its
\nlone goal. Striker Au Wai-lun earned his team's lone goal in the
\n60th minute to save face.<\/p>\n
Indonesia tied 1-1 with Hong Kong in its first game at Mongkok
\nStadium last month.<\/p>\n
Hong Kong's coach Ian James Braid said he was disappointed by
\nthe result.<\/p>\n
\"I'm very disappointed. We had a lot of chances. We had five
\nclear chances and the score is also disappointing.\"<\/p>\n
He believed his team kept a solid defense but it was not
\nstrong enough to prevent Rocky and Bambang from scoring.<\/p>\n
\"We focused on Indonesia's dangerous player, Rocky, but his
\nmoves were exceptional and he has very high skills. Bambang is
\nalso good,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Nandar said the Hong Kong team was taken by surprise when
\nIndonesia used the same strategy as its opponent.<\/p>\n
\"Hong Kong played very defensively and we also played the same
\nway. We were better than our opponent. Our midfielders were too
\nquick in passing the ball to our strikers and they (Hong Kong)
\nwere not prepared.\"<\/p>\n
He praised Rocky and Bambang.<\/p>\n
\"We played much better than Hong Kong and we had the same
\nopportunities to make goals. Hong Kong has good players but our
\nstrikers Rocky and Bambang took possession of the ball and
\nscored,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia will paly Cambodia in the last Group 7 match on Nov.
\n21 at Senayan Stadium. (ivy)<\/p>\n
Standings (games, wins, draws, losses, points, average points)<\/p>\n
Indonesia (3, 2, 1, 0, 9-3, 7); Hong Kong (4, 2, 1, 1, 7-5, 7);
\nCambodia (3, -, -, 3, 2-10, 3)<\/p>",
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