RI's U-19 team out of Asian qualifying

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's under-19 soccer team was routed in the prequalifying round of the Asian U-19 team in a 0-3 defeat by Myanmar at Deyang City in Sichuan province, China, on Monday.

It was Indonesia's second defeat after a 1-3 loss to Chinese Taipei on Saturday.

Indonesia now has no chance of making the Asian U-19 championships final in Teheran in November. Its final match is against China on Wednesday.

Spokesman of the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) Eddi Elison told Antara on Monday that the Indonesian team failed to score despite 15 chances.

Eddi quoted the U-19 team's coach Rudy Keltjes as saying the Myanmar team apparently adjusted itself to the cold weather in China. Rudy said the team failed to develop good teamwork in the 16-day preparation time.

PSSI chairman Agum Gumelar said he was disappointed with the result, but he was more upset by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) decision to move forward the match from July to April.

"Moreover, AFC announced the decision only one month before the match," he said. (ivy)