Host team downs Indonesia

Host team downs Indonesia

ANN
The Philippine Inquirer/Manila

The Philippines relied on brothers Ali, Frazier and Norton
Alamara to down Indonesia 15-10 on Monday and draw first blood in
the water polo competition of the 23rd Southeast Asian Games at
the Trace Aquatics Center in Los Banos, south of Manila.

Named after boxing's legendary American heavyweight champions,
the trio combined for five goals, most of them in the final
period, to secure the Filipinos' first win in the round-robin
eliminations.

Thailand, the 2003 SEAG silver medalist, beat Vietnam, 7-5, in
the second game.

Monsuito Pelenio was the top scorer with four goals, all of
them in the first quarter, for the Filipinos, who are hoping to
finally win their first ever gold in the sport.

"The team maintained a high level of aggressiveness and showed
a lot of heart," said Philippine Amateur Swimming Association
president Mark Joseph. "This (win) will inspire them when they go
up against Singapore tomorrow."

The Singaporeans, the reigning SEAG champions who beat the
Filipinos by one goal during the 2003 Vietnam SEAG semifinals,
boast a Russian coach and solid foreign exposure.

With a 9-8 lead at the start of the fourth period, Norton
Alamara came through with back-to-back goals while Ali Alamara
added another in the last four minutes as the nationals padded
their margin to 12-8, which the Indonesians failed to overhaul.

Almax Laurel also knocked in three goals to make things hard
for the Indonesian team, which finished fourth in the Southeast
Asian Games in 2003.

Although the Indonesians managed to score two goals after that
courtesy of Henrian Saragih and Hendri Maciano, it was clear from
there that the locals had the game wrapped up with heads up play
in the stretch.

Frazier and Norton Alamara finished with two goals each, while
Ali, Danny Dela Torre, Sherwin Dela Paz and Dale Evangelista
scored one each.

The Philippines got off to a hot start when Pelenio fired home
two goals. But the Indonesians quickly fought back through Lucky
Damapoli and Heriansyah Saragih to tie the count, 2-2, at the
2:34 mark of the opening quarter.