Junior team beats Persija 3-2

JAKARTA (JP): The national junior soccer team scored a 3-2 victory over Persija - last April's amateur, inter-city soccer championship finalists - in a proving ground match at a packed Senayan Stadium on Saturday.

The friendly game was meant to condition the junior team, which has just returned from training in Italy, for the Asian Under-19 Championship slated to be held here from Sept. 11 to 25.

It took the teenagers 29 minutes to score their first goal in the first half, by way of Nurul Huda - a newcomer who joined the team a few months ago.

Prolific striker Kurniawan Yulianto, an Italian Cup winner who was Sampdoria's import player during their Asia tour last April, made it 2-0 eight minutes later.

With a 2-0 lead in the first half, the under-20-year-old booters seemed to be overconfident, as their coach Danurwindo later remarked. This overconfidence weakened their defense and gave Persija the leeway to equalize.

However, the junior team's victory was finally sealed as Kurniawan roared back with his second goal, in the 54th minute of the game.

Commenting on the junior team's triumph, Azwar Anas, chairman of the All-Indonesia Football Association (PSSI), was reported by Antara to have been deeply impressed. He went on to say that the youths had made considerable progress after one year of training in Italy and that their quality of play was by no means below their seniors.

Ten teams qualify for the under-19 competitions staged at Senayan stadium, with host Indonesia earning an automatic entry. Kurniawan and company will set off their campaign against Qatar on Sept. 11. (arf)