Soccer team's humiliation adds to Indonesia's woes
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Hanoi
For the first time in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games history, Indonesia's men's soccer team has suffered a great humiliation after bowing out to arch rival Thailand 0-6 in the group's round robin match at the 22nd Games in Vietnam on Sunday.
The poor performance -- more than a month after the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) chairman Nurdin Halid took over the post from incumbent National Sports Council (KONI) chairman Agum Gumelar -- was like a slap in the face, not only for the Makassar-based businessman but also for soccer-mania back home.
Although the match result was a huge blow for the national squad, it maintained third position, with 11 golds, 13 silvers and 14 bronzes after host Vietnam, and Thailand.
Vietnam harvested 18 golds, maintaining the first-ever host in the top position with 41 golds, while last games runner up Thailand collected 17 golds.
The 0-6 defeat added to a string of disappointments for the national soccer team, that has been trying to regain a gold since 1991.
But good news came from the West Lake, where Indonesian rowers continued their winning streak, with another two golds from the lightweight coxless fours and lightweight coxless pairs events.
Meanwhile national karatekas managed to put aside Saturday's disappointment to steal two gold medals from the Gia Lam Gymnasium.
M. Hasan Basri defended his title in the men's 65 kilogram individual kumite, while compatriot M. Umar Syarif won in the over 80kg individual kumite.
Indonesian tennis players Prima Simpatiaji, Febi Widhiyanto, Hendri Susilo Pramono and Suwandi contributed a gold after ousting Thailand in the team event at Ho Chi Minh City.
National women's judoka Maya Fransiska, competing in the 52 kg division, overwhelmed Aye Aye Thin of Myanmar, also in Ho Chi Minh City, to secure another gold for the country.
Back in Hanoi, the majority of Indonesian athletes have failed to make best of their time at the games.
Cyclists could only contribute a silver to the country's tally after a double victory on Saturday. The track and field squad could only present a bronze, and in terms of aquatics -- swimmers and divers found the pool to be yet again unfriendly.
There is still a long way to go, with another seven days of the games left, but one fourth of the 442 medals at stake have already been battled out.
"We look slow to move, but as long as we are moving up, albeit slowly, we are on track," chef-de-mission Djoko Pramono told The Jakarta Post late Sunday.
"We must admit that some of us are yet to be successful. But the fight is not over yet. It's truly a difficult task. Hopefully, we end up in a not-too-bad position," said Djoko, who successfully brought Indonesia home as overall champion in 1997.
Djoko also praised the host's outstanding performance.
Vietnamese sportsmen and women kept prolific with their fellow shooters and karatekas being the big winners, with five golds apiece.
They took two from rowing and two from traditional sport shuttle cock. One each in judo, cycling and rowing was enough to prove that their domination was set to continue.
Petanque, a less-popular sport with only four competing countries, gave Cambodia and Laos a way to join the medal winners, while Brunei had to thank its karatekas for their three bronzes victory. New member East Timor has yet to win any medals.