Soccer stars to miss Champions, Winners cups

JAKARTA (JP): Several players who starred in the national soccer league final will be absent from the qualifying rounds of the Champions and Winners cups because of Southeast Asian (SEA) Games duty.

The players are Persebaya's Uston Nawawi, Anang Ma'ruf, Aji Santoso, Chairil Anwar, Eri Irianto and Sugianto and Bandung Raya's Peri Sandria, Nuralim, Sudirman and Surya Lesmana.

Persebaya plays South Korean team Hyundai in August in the Champions Cup, while Bandung Raya will meet the winner of Telekom Malaysia and Thailand's Air Force in the Winners Cup.

SEA Games training director Djoko Pramono said the All Indonesia Football Federation had decided not to let the players compete in the cups because the SEA Games were not far off.

"The two teams should not rely on these players for the two championships," he said.

The SEA Games men's soccer competition starts two days before the Games official opening.

Indonesia is grouped with Vietnam, Malaysia, Laos and the Philippines. The other group comprises Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Brunei and Singapore.

Indonesia aims to win 150 gold medals at the SEA Games.

At the 1995 Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Indonesia finished second with 77 golds, 67 silvers and 77 bronzes.

Thailand was first with 157 golds, 98 silvers and 91 bronzes. (03/yan)