Battle of strategy, supporters for league's quarterfinals

Battle of strategy, supporters for league's quarterfinals

JAKARTA (JP): The European Championships, better known as Euro
2000, finished up last week with France becoming the new
champion. But Indonesia's soccer fever did not die there. In
fact, it will be revived with the beginning of the quarterfinals
of the Bank Mandiri soccer league starting on Sunday.

However, the extravaganza is not only going to excite fans --
it will also make problems for security officers with the bonek
(hooligan fans), who are attracted to the sporting event.

Eight clubs have qualified for the quarters and are preparing
for their do-or-die matches for the glory of raising the
prestigious trophy.

Senayan stadium here and Mattoangin stadium in Makassar, South
Sulawesi, will host the big eight matches which start on Sunday.

Host of Group A, Persija Jakarta, will play Arema Malang in
Sunday's first match followed by Persikota Tangerang against
Pelita Solo.

In group B, host PSM Makassar will challenge Persijatim of
East Jakarta, while Pupuk Kaltim (PKT) of East Kalimantan is to
take on PSMS Medan, North Sumatra.

Both hosts can expect a home advantage for staging the events,
but this year's league will be filled with the battle of strategy
and, certainly, fanatic supporters.

Persija's team manager Aang Hamid Suganda said all competing
teams in the top eight had equal skill and strength.

"The team which wins will depend on the coach's strategy. I
think all coaches have observed other teams' performances and
played against them earlier," he said.

Persija is full of stars but that will not help the team to
win the league's title after it was kicked out in 1995. After
being bitterly routed in the 1999's league semifinals by the
winner PSIS Semarang, the players are eager to try their luck
again.

PSIS, however, is relegated to the first division.

Persija will be challenged by Arema on Sunday. Both teams will
rely on their strong defense and midfield lineup.

Coach Ivan Kolev said Persija's players would keep their eyes
on two Chilean players in Arema, midfielder Rodrigo F. Araya and
striker Pacho Rubio.

Dark horse Persikota is longing to take sweet revenge on
Pelita. In three encounters in the last two leagues, Persikota
lost two matches against Pelita and only managed to tie once.

In Makassar, PSM will rely heavily on its controversial top
striker Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto -- who has just been freed from
charges for using illegal drugs -- when facing PSMS on Sunday.
Kurniawan will partner Miro Baldo Bento in spearheading the
attack.

PSM also has Bima Sakti and Carlos de Mello in the midfield.
Veteran Aji Santoso will support them in the defense area.

PKT team manager Arif Budi Santoso expressed optimism in
facing Persijatim in the first day of the match, despite its 1-5
loss in a friendly match prior to the league after nearly one
month of preparation.

"Although we are still trying to figure out Persijatim's
strength, we are sure that we can beat the team," Arif said.

Supporters

All eight teams may prepare themselves on technical problems.
But the security has to be ready to overcome the old matter of
hooligan soccer supporters.

Supporters may affect the teams' form. For security reasons,
host Persija has raised ticket prices and are only offering
discounts to groups of supporters.

So Persija's supporters in The Jakmania, Aremania of Arema
Malang, Pasoepati of Pelita and Persikota Fan Clubs (PFC) will be
cheering each match. Although they are not as dangerous as the
notorious bonek of Surabaya, their presence still needs the
supervision of security officials.

Pasoepati, for example, initiated protests in the last two
matches in Yogyakarta and Surakarta. But the protests turned ugly
after they set a handful of vehicles ablaze.

Tinton Soeprapto, chairman of the Arema Foundation, said the
supporters had not intended to create violence or disrupt the
event.

"They came here to support their team and not to spark
violence. They paid for the train tickets and the match," Tinton
said.

He urged organizers not to worry over the supporters' arrival.
"It's a wrong perception that soccer fans are brutal and violent.
They have a role to play in enhancing the players' motivation,"
he said, adding that Aremania would try to set a good example for
supporters from other provinces.

In Tangerang, soccer fans from 104 villages are expected to
flock to Senayan to support Persikota.

"The fans will not disrupt the match but they will put their
full support behind Persikota to win. They are well-behaved and
won't bring stones or sharp weapons into the stadium,"
Persikota's spokesman Said Hendrawiyanto said.

Chief of Jakarta event organizers, Buyung Atang, said 1,500
security personnel, including 750 police officers and 300
personnel from the Army and military police, would be deployed at
Senayan.

The organizers are also providing 25 buses near the stadium to
transport spectators back to the five mayoralties in Jakarta.

-- Ivy Susanti