Bambang replaces Tugiyo in Asia Cup qualifier

Bambang replaces Tugiyo in Asia Cup qualifier

JAKARTA (JP): The 20th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games soccer team
striker, Bambang Pamungkas, will replace Tugiyo in the national
team for the pre Asia Cup.

Coach Nandar Iskandar said on Wednesday that Tugiyo had to
resign as a result of an injury during a tryout match in Manado,
North Sulawesi.

Tugiyo was the Semarang soccer club (PSIS) hero scoring the
winning goal in the fifth Indonesian League in Manado where PSIS
defeated defending champions Persebaya Surabaya.

Bambang, who joined the pre-Olympics team, canceled his plans
to study in Germany where he had joined the Bundesliga second
division team Muenchen Gladbach, in favor of joining the
Indonesian national team.

Nandar expressed hope that Bambang would be able to sharpen
the frontline together with other strikers Kurniawan Dwi
Yulianto, Widodo C Putro and Rocky Putiray.

"I heard he just returned from Germany and I immediately
called him after Tugiyo resigned," he said.

Four of the 23 players -- goalkeeper Ngadiono, right winger
Ilham Jayakesuma, defender Warsidi and midfielder Andrian
Mardiansyah -- were excluded from the team.

Goalie Sahari Gultom was called to replace Ngadiono.

Indonesia will compete in the 2000 Asia Cup qualifying round
in Hong Kong starting from Oct. 23. It is in the same group as
Cambodia and host Hong Kong.

Indonesia stands a good chance in qualifying for the Asia Cup
to be held in the Lebanon next year.

Team manager M. Zein said the team would play against local
teams prior to the qualification. Indonesia had planned to
compete in the Ho Chi Mihn City Cup as a warm up but it pulled
out as it was thought that the participating teams were not
strong enough.

"When we saw the teams taking part we decided to withdraw
because we need tough opponents. Only lesser teams are competing
in the Cup," he said, as quoted by Antara.

Zein said the national team would have tryouts in Medan, North
Sumatra and in Jakarta. (yan)