Thailand edges Indonesia in SEAG soccer opener

Thailand edges Indonesia in SEAG soccer opener

JAKARTA (JP): Host Thailand played with ten men in the last 15
minutes, but managed to fight off Indonesia's challenge in the
Group A match of the 18th Southeast Asian Games soccer
competition in Chiang Mai yesterday.

Substitute Natipong Sritong-in struck a header in the 70th
minute to give the title holder a morale boosting 2-1 win in a
match marred by a red card.

The Indonesia-Thailand match kicked off the soccer competition
which will end on Dec. 16, the penultimate day of the sporting
extravaganza. The ten teams have been split into two groups, with
the top two teams advancing to the semifinals after a set of
round-robin matches.

Thailand was reduced to ten men after Sanor Longpawang
received the marching orders that tarnished Natipong's superb
header. Sanor committed an intentional foul against Indonesian
forward Fachry Husaini just five minutes after Natipong's goal.

The TV replay showed Sanor grabbing Fachry, who was not in
possession of the ball, and throwing him down.

Fachry was a constant threat on the left flank of Thailand's
defense. He slammed home one of Cahyo's cannon balls, which
bounced off the bar past Thai goalkeeper Somchit Wathacapong for
an equalizer in the 31st minute.

A minute later, the Thais pulled ahead with a goal from
midfielder Surachai Jirasirichotee who blasted in a right-footer
20 meters from Kurnia Sandy's goal post.

Trailing one goal down, the Indonesian squad wasted too much
time with error-prone passing in the final quarter. Romano
Matte's men even loosened their defense to let Natipong rush into
the box unmarked several times.

Natipong almost scored his second goal when he broke away from
Indonesian defender Suwandi. The hard-running striker, who came
into the pitch in place of under-form Vitoon Kijmongkolsak,
latched a devastating right-footer, only to face Kurnia's brave
dive.

The Indonesians kept up the pressure in the dying minutes,
with Suwandi and Yudi Kuncahyo rallying their own half.

Indonesia's best goal scoring chance came only five minutes
before the final whistle when Widodo executed a low pass from
Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto. Widodo, however, shot it a meter wide of
the right post.

Indonesia will play lowly Cambodia tomorrow and Malaysia on
Friday. The Games will be declared open on Saturday. (amd)