RI vows to fight all-out against Kuwait
JAKARTA (Agencies): Despite its underdog position, Indonesia's soccer team pledged to fight all-out in its first Group B match of the 2000 Asian Cup final against Kuwait at the Tripoli stadium in Lebanon on Friday.
Team manager Mohammad Zein said his team did not come to Lebanon to receive an easy defeat.
"If we simply wanted to lose, we wouldn't have come to Tripoli," Zein was quoted as saying from Quality Inn hotel in Tripoli where the team stayed during the tournament which kicked off Thursday.
Indonesia is at the bottom of the list of group seeding after South Korea, China and Kuwait. Another match will see South Korea play China.
Coach Nandar Iskandar said he would likely field duet strikers Rochy Puttiray and Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto in the first match. Indonesia will also miss playmaker Bima Sakti, who failed to perform in the first match as he has accumulated yellow cards in two pre-qualifying matches.
He also said that he had no idea about Kuwait's strength, but he was sure that Kuwait would be a tough contender.
"Kuwait is coached by Dusan Uhrin of the Czech Republic who managed to bring the team to the 1996 Euro Cup final. Moreover, Kuwait's core players are Olympic Games' 2000 competitors," he said.
Nandar said he had instructed his players to improve on their defense zone, adding that they must mark Kuwait's strikers Bashar Abdullah and Faraj Laheeb and also playmaker Bahder Haji.
"I'm learning from our failure in the 1996 Cup, when we tied 2-2 with Kuwait. At that time, Indonesia led first 2-0 but coach Danurwindo only focused on the counterattack. He forgot to improve the team's defense," he said.
Captain Aji Santoso said that his team was ready to fight Kuwait.
"We are ready. We want to fight all out and we don't care about the result. We're sure that the Indonesian people have given their blessings and wish that we can play well."
In Saida, Lebanon, Iraq gave Thailand a rude awakening here on Thursday with a 2-0 defeat in the opening game.
Goals from Qahtan Chatir and Haidar Mahmood - one in each half - handed the Iraqis the three points in a generally lackluster match played in front of a sparse crowd which included FIFA president Sepp Blatter, AFP reported.
Mahmood, who had a splendid match down the left flank, wrapped up Iraq's victory with a coolly-taken shot from five metres out in the 64th minute following a superb pass by playmaker Abbas Obeid Jassim.
Jassim's brother, Haydar Obeid, kept tight control of the defense to the end although they could do little about two excellent long range efforts from Thawatchu Damroy-Onytrakui - sent on with 15 minutes remaining by English coach Peter Withe - though one hit the post and the other was saved at the second attempt by 'keeper Hassim Khamis.
Chatir had fired home through 'keeper Wirat Wangchang's legs to give Iraq the lead in the 29th minute after being played into the box by playmaker Abbas Obeid Jassim. (ivy)