RI coach says squad will not wilt in heat of Maldives

RI coach says squad will not wilt in heat of Maldives

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's national soccer team will have no
problem with high temperatures for Sunday's encounter with host
Maldives in Male for the Group Nine 2002 World Cup qualifying
zone.

Coach Benny Dolo said on Friday that the players have adjusted
themselves to the high temperature.

"In our temporary homebase in Singapore, we had been training
at around 2 p.m. when the daily temperature was at its hottest.
Our players are accustomed to the hot climate," he said, as
quoted by spokesman of the Soccer Association of Indonesia Eddi
Elison.

Benny said he knew the reason for the host's success in
holding China 1-0 on April 28.

"Based on my analysis, I think China was easily exhausted as
the outside temperature reached 40 degrees celsius. It contrasted
to the climatic conditions in which Chinese players had trained
in Kunming which is only 16 degrees celsius."

"Moreover, the Maldivians played differently than they did
when visiting Jakarta."

Benny said, to support his ambition of earning a full three-
points, he would choose to play using the 3-5-2 tactical system.

"I'll use the 3-5-2 pattern because my players are not
familiar with the 4-4-2 format. We successfully won our previous
matches using that system."

"We also won't make too many changes to the winning team. The
only missing player will be Yaris Riyadi, who will be on the
bench due to injury.

"I have observed other players and I will have to choose
between Mattheus Seta Nurdiyantara and Firman Utina to replace
Yaris. I'll focus on Seta, but Firman must also be taken into
consideration."

The Maldives assistant coach, Ihsan Abdul Ghani, said that he
was not afraid of Indonesia despite their suffering a 5-0 loss in
Jakarta last month.

"Just wait and see how our team will confront Indonesia. We
are confident of overcoming the visitor. We won't change our play
too much but we'll play better than we did in Jakarta although
we'll be missing defender Adam Abdul Latheef due to his forced
absenteeism from an accumulation of yellow cards," Ghani told
Eddi by phone from Male.

Benny said he had asked players not to be easily distracted by
the Maldives' offensive play.

"I asked our players not to be easily distracted by Maldivian
harsh play. They should not be easily distracted. I have
emphasized this repeatedly to our players on every occasion.

"We have come a long way now. The Maldives will be our last
stop before we challenge China."

Indonesia stands top of the group with three wins in three
matches. China is only three points away from Indonesia after
winning all its two matches. It will face Cambodia in Phnom Penh
on Sunday.

The Indonesian team has made Singapore its homebase. It will
play China in Kunming on May 13 and at home on May 27. (ivy)