Indonesia aims to defeat Myanmar in Tiger Cup

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian soccer team aims to reach the final four of the Tiger Cup by defeating Myanmar in the last Group A round-robin match on Sunday.

Indonesia and Myanmar share three points each after one win and one loss but Myanmar is ahead in goal differences. A draw is enough for Myanmar to accompany host Thailand in the last four.

Coach Nandar Iskandar said: "We have to win. We will play offensively. It's likely that Myanmar will play defensively to tie, but we will try to figure out a way to score. Maybe we can do it by creating a scrimmage."

Nandar will field duo strikers Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto and junior Gendut Doni Christiawan. He will also field goalkeeper I Komang Putra despite his failure to secure the net from Thai's bombardment on Friday.

In defense, Nandar will put Eko Purjianto and Nuralim as stoppers and either Jet Donald Laala or Sugiantoro as libero. In midfield, Bima Sakti will serve as playmaker with Uston Nawawi and Imran Nahumarury ahead while Ismet Sofyan and Budiman will operate at the wings.

"We're looking for more attackers. With this scheme, I think Imran is fit for the job," he told a teleconference which was held in cooperation with Indosat international call operator.

However, Nandar complained that some of his players, including goalie Hendro Kartiko, Bima, Sugiantoro and Seto were injured after collisions with Thai players.

Nandar said the 1-4 loss to Thailand on Friday had hurt him and raised questions on the overall team performance.

"The 1-4 defeat is a shot to my head. The result is woeful. Judged on our preparation, we should not have lost so badly. I even predicted that our players would match the Thais in the earlier minutes, but things changed after the Thais scored the first goal."

Nandar said Jet was homesick for his family in East Kalimantan and did not perform well. He also said that he was almost fed up with striker Miro Baldo Bento, an East Timorese playing for PSM Makassar.

Bento was hastily added to the Tiger Cup team lineup, along with teammates Budiman and Suwandi HS. Bento's inclusion sparked controversy as he earlier said that he would rather play in his country than in Indonesia.

Bento, a 1998 Tiger Cup veteran, is scoreless in two matches. While Suwandi was blamed for his failure in marking Thai players which allow them to earn two goals.

"When we discuss the Tiger Cup lineup after we complete our Asian Cup campaign, I want the three players to be well prepared for the upcoming event. But I see here that only two of them, Suwandi and Budiman, who are ready for a match."

"While Bento is below form and lacks discipline." he said.

He said that all his players had failed to execute his instructions and strategy in this year's campaign, but he insisted that it was not caused by the short preparation.

"I keep asking myself whether the players are tired or getting bored with the program, or is there some other reason which is out of my reach. What happened to this team?" (ivy)