In its match in the Ashgabat Pre Olympic Stadium in Turkmenistan on Saturday (July 23, 2011) the Indonesian senior soccer team maintained the first round draw 1-1 score unchanged until the end of the game.
Host Turkmenistan firstly showed its superiority through a free kick by Annaorazov Serdar at the 12th minute.
But the Indonesian team equalized the score made by Muhammad Ilham in the 29th minute when there was a chaos in front of the Turkmenistan team`s goal guarded by Shamuradov Maksatmyrat.
In the match which was broadcast live by the country`s RCTI TV station, Indonesian team that is now trained by coach Wim Rijsbergen and assistant coach Rahmat Darmawan, at the beginning of the game, the team several times got a dangerous attack from Turkmenistan.
Rahmat Darmawan fielded the squad consisting of Ferry Rotinsulu (goalkeeper), M Ridwan, M Roby, Ricardo Salampessy, Muhammad Nasuha, Zulkifli Syukur, Muhammad Ilham, Ahmad Bustomi, Firman Utina (C), Cristian Gonzalez, and Boaz Salossa.
In the second and eighth minute, Turkmenistan got two free kicks. But through the first 10 minutes, the Indonesian team made no meaningful attack.
Only at the 21st minute, Indonesian team got the first corner kick conducted by Firman Utina from the right opponent`s goal.
At the 23rd minute, Muhammad Ridwan won a chance and his left foot shot was off to the right of the opponent`s goal.
The Turkmenistan players exploited the field poor conditions with more off long passes that managed to create goal chances in the front of Indonesian goal.
Boaz Salossa then tried a hard kick in the 42nd minute and was bounced over the crossbar, and then Turkmenistan responded through an attack that can still be secured behind the goalkeeper Ferry Rotinsulu.
In the first half of the game, Turkmenistan several times tried to obtain sufficient opportunities which were dangerous to Ferry Rotinsulu`s wicket.
In the second half of the match, both team failed to increase score.
To the Indonesian team that left for Ashgabat, Turkmenistan on Wednesday (July 20) there will be a good chance to face the latter`s team to make better score for the 2014 Pre World Cup.
As many as 19 players who strengthen the national team consisting of Ferry Rotinsulu, Markus Horison (goal keepers), said Darmawan following the national team preparatory exercise here on Monday evening.
In addition, the back players -- Supardi, Zulkifli Syukur, M Nasuha, M Roby, Ricardo Salampessy, Wahyu Widi Asnanto.
The midfielders -- Ahmad Bustomi, Tony Sucipto, Eka Ramdani, Firman Utina, M Ridwan, Arif Suyono, Oktovianus Maniani, M Ilham.
Forward -- Cristian Gonzales, Bambang Pamungkas, Boaz Solossa.
In the meantime, Kurnia Meiga, Hamka Hamzah and Irfan Bachdim did not joint the team because of suffering from injuries.
Gunawan Dwi Cahyo, Ferdinand Sinaga, Egi Melgiansyah and Benny Wahyudi also failed to leave for Turkmenistan.
However, the players who failed to go to Turkmenistan continued conducting exercises in Jakarta to be led by the coach assistants Widodo C Putra and Aji Santoso in a bid to strengthen the national team to face Turkmenistan when Jakarta will host the match on July 28.
Earlier, regarding the national team preparation, Darmawan said that everything takes place completely tight.
He, however hope the tight preparation can bring good news.
According to him, the failure of the past congress of the All-Indonesia Soccer Association (PSSI) in Pekanbaru (Riau province) on March 26 and that in Jakarta on May 20, 2011 to elect the PSSI`s new general chairman, had led to tight preparation of the national team.
Despite the lack of preparations, national team manager Ferry Kodrat remains optimistic that the national team will achieve the best results.
Actually, the national soccer team had just started doing the exercise on Friday (July 15, 2011) after its new coach Wilhelmus Wim Rijbergen from Holland arrived in Jakarta.
The All-Indonesia Soccer Association (PSSI) under its new chairman Djohar Arifin Husin trusted the Dutch coach Wim Rijsbergen to train the national team.
Wim replaced Alfred Riedl as the national team`s chief coach although Riedl work`s contract will end only in May 2012.
PSSI has awarded a two-year contract to Wim Rijsbergen to train the national team.
In addition, Rahmad Darmawan, concurrently the Jakarta`s Persija team coach pointed out that the Turkmenistan team would be strengthened by about 50 percent players under 23 years of age (U-23) who competed against Indonesia at the last Olympic qualifier.
During the last Olympic qualifier, the Turkmenistan team players
played quite effective where the national team at the moment suffered defeat in the first leg 1-3 in last February.
While in the second leg on March 9 in Ashgabat Olympic Stadium, the national team suffered defeat 0-1, making Indonesia suffered aggregate defeat 1-4 and failed to next round.
On the July 28 match in Jakarta, the Indonesian team hopefully can make more scores than it shared 1-1 draw with Turkmenistan team. (*)
Reporter: Bustanuddin
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
