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)