PSSI training schedule for SEA Games early May
PSSI training schedule for SEA Games early May
JAKARTA (JP): The All-Indonesian Soccer Federation (PSSI) will
kick off training in early May for the 20th Southeast Asian (SEA)
Games in Brunei Darussalam in August, an official said on Friday.
PSSI team manager and coach Bernard Schumm said he enlisted
six senior players to join the SEA Games national squad after he
observed their impressive performances during the fifth
Indonesian Soccer League (Ligina) last month.
He said the players were Komang Mariawan of Persikota
Tangerang; I Komang Putra, Agung Setyabudi and Ali Sunan of PSIS
Semarang; Selamat Riyadi of PSMS Medan and Eri Irianto of
Persebaya Surabaya.
They will join the other national players and the pre-Olympics
soccer team consisting of under-23-year-old players, he said.
"I also will consider Semen Padang midfielder Khair Rifo for
the SEA Games team. PSMS midfielder Afan Lubis also is good, but
I have not decided whether he should be included on this team
because we already have the duo Uston Nawawi and Bima Sakti in
his position," he said.
Schumm said the national team would be trained by an assistant
coach, but names were still under consideration.
He added the national team would play against the pre-Olympics
team in a joint exercise at Sawangan, Bogor, on May 15 to May 17.
Indonesia was runner-up in the 19th SEA Games in 1997 after it
lost 2-4 to defending champion Thailand in a penalty shootout.
On Thursday, Schumm announced 18 members of the pre-Olympics
soccer team who will compete in the Quadrangular Tournament for
Olympic teams at Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur
from April 26 to April 30.
He was quoted by Antara as saying that the players were
selected after evaluation of their performances during a two-day
friendly match against the Cambodian national team on April 18
and April 20.
PSSI originally groomed 24 pre-Olympics soccer players. Andi
Iswantoro (Pelita Bakrie), Purwanto (Persitara) Harianto (Arema)
and Stenly Mamuaya (Persma) were eliminated from the lineup.
The status of two others, Dedy Umarela (Persija) and Nur'afiq
(Persikasi), is pending Schumm's decision. The tournament will
feature Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and host Malaysia.
In May, the team will fly to South Korea to take part in the
Olympic prequalification tournament. Indonesia will challenge Sri
Lanka, Chinese Taipei and mighty South Korea.
Indonesia is winless against the South Koreans. (ivy)
Fixtures
April 26: Indonesia vs Vietnam, Malaysia vs Thailand
April 27: Rest day
April 28: Vietnam vs Thailand, Indonesia vs Malaysia
April 29: Rest day
April 30: Thailand vs Indonesia, Malaysia vs Vietnam