PSSI plans to host Asia Cup soccer prequalifying round

JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta is scheduled to host the prequalifying round of the Asia Cup next month if the political situation allows the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) to stage the tournament.

PSSI chairman, Agum Gumelar, said on Tuesday that Indonesia would challenge Hong Kong on Nov. 14 and Cambodia on Nov. 21 at the main Senayan stadium. PSSI has also named Medan in North Sumatra as an alternative venue.

Malaysia is named as the last place to stage the event if FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) stop any soccer matches to take place in Indonesia.

"If FIFA or AFC consider the situation here is insecure to host both matches, we have prepared our homebase outside Indonesia. I have asked my officials to approach Malaysia," Agum said.

However, he declined to disclose his reason on picking Malaysia as the last alternative.

"It's a nontechnical reason. I won't explain it, but you can make your own analysis on that," Agum told reporters after his first meeting with newly appointed PSSI officials.

PSSI has named 18 soccer players, who will fly to Hong Kong on Friday to compete in the prequalifying games at Mong Kok stadium on Oct. 24. The team will leave for Phnom Penh on Oct. 26 to face Cambodia's national team on Oct. 30.

Agum said he set up a special task force to organize the prequalifying matches. The task force will also ask for permits from the Jakarta Police in the near future.

The three-star general, who is also the governor of the National Resilience Institute (Lemhanas), said the meeting on Tuesday also discussed the sixth Indonesian Soccer League (Ligina) matches, which will start on Nov. 7.

Agum will kick off Ligina's opening at the Jatidiri stadium in Semarang.

"We have finished the planning and preparation of the opening match. We will disperse the new rules to all participants. We will also divide clubs into two divisions," he said.

Ligina's first series is scheduled to finish on June 4 next year. Winners and runners-up of eastern and western divisions will play in the final four. The final will take place on June 11.

"There will be two teams from each division who will face relegation and promotion from the first division," he said.

PSSI director of competition Iswadi Idris told reporters later that 28 clubs from both divisions were registered to compete in Ligina. (ivy)