Time to behave, for everybody's sake<\/p>\n
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
Had Peter Withe's side failed to produce a remarkable comeback
\nin the away semifinal match against Malaysia, Indonesia would
\nhave been forced to swallow yet another Tiger Cup flop.<\/p>\n
And Indonesia's fans would have been blamed for their part in
\nthe debacle after their ugly behavior during the first encounter
\nat Bung Karno Stadium, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
After suffering a 1-2 upset defeat in a game that was marred
\nby assorted debris hurled onto the pitch, Indonesia did not lose
\nhope. Instead, it turned the tables for a 4-1 victory in Kuala
\nLumpur.<\/p>\n
But the team lived very dangerously along the way. Apart from
\nlosing in the first encounter, it was down 0-1 going into the
\nfinal half of the second leg.<\/p>\n
The last act has yet to be played: Indonesia will host the
\nfirst match of its final against Singapore at Bung Karno Stadium
\nhere on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
The turnout at the 100,000-capacity stadium is expected to be
\nhuge, but the host team is wary of the potential for hooliganism.
\nWithe has warned that unruly incidents could work to distract his
\nplayers.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, hooliganism is nothing new among fans here,
\nwhether at the club level or national games.<\/p>\n
A particularly notorious incident occurred when Indonesia was
\ndefeated by Thailand at the 1997 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in
\nJakarta. Fans threw objects and set fire to the stands; the melee
\nreportedly caused injuries to 27 people.<\/p>\n
Now, after two close calls in losing to Thailand in 2000 and
\n2002, the Tiger Cup is within Indonesia's grasp.<\/p>\n
Apart from its narrow escape over Malaysia, Indonesia has
\nshowed impressive form throughout its campaign, scoring 17 goals
\nand conceding none in its group play.<\/p>\n
Its remarkable come-from-behind victory against Malaysia also
\nshowed the players have heart and determination.<\/p>\n
That is not to indicate that Singapore is a pushover. It has
\nthe potential to spoil the party. It won the 1998 Tiger Cup,
\ndefeating Indonesia in the semifinal, and upset more fancied
\nVietnam this time around.<\/p>\n
But Indonesia now has a chance to even the score, and it will
\nneed cooperation from the stands to do so. A repeat of the first
\nsemifinal antics -- which Withe blamed for upsetting his men --
\nwill only be to our detriment.<\/p>\n
A decisive win over Singapore here will clear Indonesia's path
\nto victory, because it will be an uphill battle trying to produce
\na Kuala Lumpur-style comeback a second time.<\/p>\n
Sure, having the fighting spirit to seize victory from the
\njaws of defeat is laudable, but the same is true for being able
\nto make the best of an opportunity.<\/p>\n
That is where the fans come in. They must play the good host,
\nso that a victory will not be tarred by nagging associations with
\nhooliganism.<\/p>\n
If not for their team, there is another important reason they
\nshould be on their best behavior.<\/p>\n
The eyes of the world are on us after the devastating tsunami
\nthat killed an estimated 98,000 in Aceh and North Sumatra.<\/p>\n
So often making headlines for dubious distinctions, Indonesia
\nis now on the receiving end of an unprecedented wave of sympathy
\nand support.<\/p>\n
A Tiger Cup victory -- unsullied by riots or other
\nunsportsmanlike conduct -- will do our sporting image a lot of
\ngood, and rehabilitate that of our fans. It will also do
\nsomething for all of us after the emotional battering of the past
\ncouple of weeks.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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