Jakarta hosts Champions Cup league quarterfinals
Jakarta hosts Champions Cup league quarterfinals
JAKARTA (JP): The Asia Football Confederation yesterday turned
down Bandung's Persib bid to host the Champions Cup league
quarterfinals at the end of this month and picked Jakarta
instead.
A Persib spokesman, Dwi Koernianto, quoted a statement
released by the confederation yesterday that Bandung does not
have a representative venue to host the quarterfinal round-robin
matches.
The decision came after the federation heard a report from its
envoys, R. Indran and N.V. Mould, who inspected Bandung's
Siliwangi stadium on Friday.
"Bandung will not be able to upgrade its stadium in just two
weeks," Koernianto quoted the confederation's announcement. "The
Senayan stadium in Jakarta is considered the most feasible site."
Indran said during his visit to Bandung, West Java that
neither the turf on the playing field, nor the players' locker
rooms at the 30,000-seat stadium met international standards.
Indran also criticized the lack of a pressroom at the stadium.
He warned Persib of a strike by visiting players if they are
not satisfied with the facilities provided.
The confederation named Persib the host of the Group East
quarterfinals, scheduled for Nov. 26 to Nov. 30. Persib, South
Korean champion Ilhwa Chunma, Japanese champion Verdy Kawasaki
and Cup holder Thai Farmers, will be vying for two semifinal
spots.
In response to the confederation's decision, Persib planned to
hand over the organization of the matches to the All-Indonesia
Football Association.
"We will be very busy with our training program ahead of the
competition. We don't want those organizational jobs to distract
our preparation," Persib chairman, Wahyu Hamidjaja, was quoted by
Antara yesterday.
The football association suggested to Persib last week that it
play its Asia Championship quarterfinals here.
Winners Cup
In the Winners Cup quarterfinals, Indonesia's hopeful,
Petrokimia Putra Gresik, is facing foreseen elimination after its
0-6 away rout by Japan's Bellmare Hiratsuka on Monday.
Brazilian Emerson struck a hat trick to lead the goal spree on
a weakened Indonesian side which missed Widodo Cahyo Putra, Eri
Irianto and Suwandi. The three trump cards are joining the
national squad for the 18th Southeast Asian Games.
Petrokimia paid a dear price for displaying a makeshift
defense marking. Arifin scored a goal three minutes before the
break.
The East Javanese side needs to neutralize Hiratsuka with at
least a seven-goal margin at home on Nov. 28. (amd)