Jakarta beats Aceh 12-1 in junior soccer

JAKARTA (JP): A soccer comedy was staged in the National Under-15 soccer championship in Surabaya, East Java, as Jakarta destroyed the seven-man Aceh team 12-1 on Saturday.

Aceh, last year's runner-up, deployed all its substitutes during the championship's most lopsided match, following a strike initiated by the starting players on Friday. Aceh crashed to host East Java 0-3.

A 1993 All-Indonesia Football Association decree bans any player on strike from returning to the pitch before a disciplinary commission settles the case.

The big loss sent Aceh packing from the annual championship sponsored by Coca-cola and paves the way for both Jakarta and East Java to semifinals.

Jakarta totally took the control of the match but they only managed to score one in the lackluster second half. Sofyan struck four times, Abdul Roji hit a hat trick, Imron Wahyudi twice, and Mansyur, Sarbini and Andri Irawan each hit once for Jakarta.

Aceh earned its consolation goal through Faikal in the 10th minute of the first half.

In the other match of the day, West Java and Central Java played a goalless draw in a shortened game. Referee Suhartono stopped the match five minutes before regulation time due to the bad lighting at the Tambaksari stadium.

The two favorite teams performed an attacking game, but lacked the composure needed to add their final touches. Central Java's coach prompted an earlier ending, knowing that both teams were would not likely score in the darkness. (amd)