National soccer team to hold trial matches

JAKARTA (JP): The SEA Games soccer team will hold three trial matches with foreign teams in Bandung from Sept. 14, the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) announced Wednesday.

PSSI chairman Azwar Anas said in Bandung, West Java, that the trial matches would be held Sept. 14, Sept. 21 and Sept. 28.

Azwar declined to name the foreign teams.

"We hope Bandung's community will watch and support the SEA Games soccer team," Azwar said after observing the soccer team training at the Siliwangi stadium in Bandung.

Azwar urged the team to perform its best when competing with the foreign teams. "The trial matches are very important so as to evaluate the strength of the local team for the coming Games."

Meanwhile, eight foreign referees will be assigned to referee the SEA Games women's soccer matches, scheduled to be held in Bogor this October.

The women referees will come from China, South Korea, Thailand and Malaysia.

Jafar Umar of the referee commission said yesterday that it was Indonesia's decision to have eight foreign women referees.

He said the Asian Soccer Federation had asked PSSI to register their women referees for the SEA Games.

"A long time ago, we did have several women referees but all are of national level. We do not have any of international level," Jafar said during a seminar on soccer at the Jakarta Fairground.

Jafar further said the women's soccer matches could have been refereed by men but it was decided that women would be used.

"We want to give women the opportunity in refereeing the soccer matches," Jafar said. (lnt)