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