Myanmar stave off RI soccer team for draw

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The national soccer team was held to a goalless draw by Myanmar at the 23rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Bacolod City on Tuesday, while the women's team was beaten by Thailand in Marikina City.

The Games, the biennial regional multisport showcase, will officially open on Sunday, but some sports, including soccer, have started earlier.

Myanmar, trained by former Indonesian coach Ivan Kolev, looked the better side during the first half and created more scoring chances in the Group B match, Antara news service reported.

Their best chance came in the 23rd minute when Soe Yat Min sprang out of an offside trap to set himself free toward the goal, only to kick straight to goalkeeper Samsidar.

Indonesia coach Peter Withe released Korinus Fengkrew and Siswanto in the second half in a bid to open up more room for an offense. However, they fell short of converting their chances.

Myanmar were upset by Laos 2-3 in their opening match on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Junpen Seesraum and Sunisa Srangthaisong scored to give their team a 2-1 win over Indonesia at the Marikina Sports Complex.

Indonesia's goal was scored by Rosmita.

On Monday, Malaysia got off to a blazing start in their SEA Games campaign.

Seeking to end a 16-year gold-medal drought, the Malaysians began their quest with a 5-0 bashing of the hapless Cambodian side in a Group A match, which was marred by a near free-for- all, at the Panaad Sports Center.

Malaysia scored three goals in the first half with a complete lineup and added two more goals in the second even after the ejection of their second best striker Rudie Bin Ramli for verbal abuse of the referee, according to official Games website http://2005seagames.com.ph.

Surendren Rasiah scored two goals for Malaysia, while Ramli, who drew an automatic suspension for the next match, Zairo Anuar Bin Salani and Mohd Fadzil Bin Shaari delivered one apiece.

Shaari and Cambodia's Om Thavrak figured in a fight in the 20th minute that nearly escalated into a melee in full view of Cambodian prince Norodom Buddhapong.

The group matches continue on Wednesday with the host team taking on defending champions Thailand at the Panaad Sports Complex.

The home side expect an extremely tough challenge but promise to gut it out in a bid for an upset and set in motion their aspiration to claim a first ever medal in the biennial meet, the official website reported.