Resurgent soccer squad set for Asiad return<\/p>\n
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
It has been a long dry season, but the revitalized national
\nsoccer team will return to the 2006 Asian Games in Qatar after an
\nabsence of 16 years, the National Sports Council (KONI) said on
\nTuesday.<\/p>\n
\"The national team's performance has improved recently,\" KONI
\nchairman Agum Gumelar said. \"It has reached the final of the 2004
\nTiger Cup with an impressive performance and booked its first win
\nin the Asia Cup. We will send them to the 2006 Asian Games.\"<\/p>\n
He added that the Indonesian Soccer Association (PSSI) had
\nbeen warned by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) about the
\nteam's absence from the past four Games.<\/p>\n
In its last outing in 1986 in Seoul, the team finished fourth.<\/p>\n
Except for winning the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games titles in
\nJakarta in 1987 and Manila in 1991, the team's fortunes have
\nsuffered in recent years, particularly with the rise of Thailand
\nas a soccer powerhouse.<\/p>\n
The national team was still able to qualify for the final
\nround of the Asia Cup in 1996 and 2000, only to be quickly
\neliminated.<\/p>\n
It also reached the final of the Tiger Cup -- a biennial
\nsoccer competition in Southeast Asia -- in 2000 and 2002, losing
\nto Thailand both times.<\/p>\n
In 2004, the team again qualified for the Asia Cup final
\nround. It shrugged off its dismal performances of the past for
\nits first 2-1 victory against Qatar, but later lost 0-5 to China
\nand 1-3 to Bahrain.<\/p>\n
Local soccer fans and sports officials have been heartened by
\nits outstanding showing in the 2004 Tiger Cup, which began in
\nDecember. The team scored 22 goals and conceded only three goals
\non its way to the final against Singapore.<\/p>\n
The final matches will be held in Jakarta on Jan. 8 and in
\nSingapore on Jan. 16.<\/p>",
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