Soccer team's humiliation adds to Indonesia's woes

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.