RI goes Dutch ahead of Asian Cup<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian national soccer team will leave
\nfor Holland on Monday for a two-week stint ahead of the Asian Cup
\nfinals in Lebanon in mid-October.<\/p>\n
Head coach Nandar Iskandar announced on Saturday that his team
\nwould play Dutch first division leader Vitesse Arnheim on Sept.
\n28, first division A side Dordricht on Oct. 4 and NAC Breda,
\nwhich is currently ranked third in the first division, on Oct. 6.<\/p>\n
\"We go to the Netherlands to improve teamwork between players,
\ntest our playing order and to try our new tactics and strategy
\nbefore picking up the best ones,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Nandar's 22-strong team will go directly to Beirut after its
\nDutch outing. Nine officials will accompany Nandar during the
\noverseas trip.<\/p>\n
The coach has allowed four PSM Makassar players -- Hendro
\nKartiko, Aji Santoso, Bima Sakti and Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto --
\nand PKT East Kalimantan player Jet Donald Laala to skip the
\nopening friendly and join their teammates on Sept. 29 because of
\nclub commitments. Both PSM and PKT will play Thai teams in the
\nsecond leg away match of the Asian Champions League and Winners'
\nCup respectively on Sept. 27.<\/p>\n
In the Asian Cup finals, Indonesia joins the continent's
\nsoccer giants South Korea, China and Kuwait in Group B. The
\nnational team will meet Kuwait in the first group match on Oct.
\n13 in Tripoli, Lebanon.<\/p>\n
Indonesia qualified for the Asian Cup finals for the first
\ntime in 1996. It then finished at the bottom of the group after a
\ndraw and two defeats.<\/p>\n
The national squad had to settle for a 2-2 draw with Kuwait
\nafter leading 2-0 in the opening match. Lack of experience was
\nblamed for Indonesia's 2-4 and 0-2 losses to South Korea and host
\nUnited Arab Emirates.<\/p>\n
Saudi Arabia won the final after beating the host.<\/p>\n
Learning from its modest debut four years ago, national team
\nmanager Muhammad Zein said he set a realistic target of improving
\nhis squad's ranking in the upcoming finals.<\/p>\n
\"We just don't want to finish last in the group,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Nandar said that his team was prepared to face the other three
\ncountries in the Cup.<\/p>\n
\"Any country or group provide Indonesia with equal challenge.
\nOur team has not played China and South Korea for a long time, so
\nwe don't know their current strengths,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Zein said on Saturday that he had difficulties in arranging an
\ninternational friendlies with China and South Korea. The two
\ncountries were invited to the Independence Cup soccer tournament
\nlast month, but refused, giving tight schedules as their main
\nreason.<\/p>\n
\"In my opinion, they might think that playing with us was a
\nwaste of energy and money,\" he said.(ivy)<\/p>\n
List of players:<\/p>\n
Goalkeepers: Hendro Kartiko, I Komang Putra, Sahari Gultom<\/p>\n
Defenders: Aji Santoso, Eko Purjianto, Ismet Sofyan, Jet Donald
\nLaala, Nuralim, Slamet Riyadi, Sugiantoro, Warsidi<\/p>\n
Midfielders: Bima Sakti, Eduard Ivakdalam, Imran Nahumarury, I
\nPutu Gede, Seto Nurdiantoro, Uston Nawawi, Yaris Riyadi<\/p>\n
Strikers: Bambang Pamungkas, Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto, Gendut Doni,
\nRochy Puttiray<\/p>",
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