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Indonesia strives to make AFF Cup history
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Soccer fans swarm to the Army Strategic Reserves Command headquarters in Gambir, Central Jakarta, to buy match tickets on Tuesday. Indonesia hosts Thailand in the first leg of the AFF Cup finals at Pakansari Stadium in Bogor, West Java, on Wednesday. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
W
as it hard work? Was it luck? Whatever it was, Indonesia has found its way to the final of the 2016 AFF Suzuki Cup, where it will strive to complete a fairy tale run against defending champion Thailand.
Team Garuda is set to host four-time winner Thailand at Pakansari Stadium in Bogor, West Java, for the first leg of the final on Wednesday.
To grab an advantage, Indonesia must win the first face-off, and the home crowd in the 30,000-seat stadium should create both the support and the pressure for Indonesia’s players to do their level best.
“We are playing the number one team in Southeast Asia, so we know it is going to be very difficult, but we want to make history and win this for the first time,” said team coach Alfred Riedl.
Wednesday’s match marks the fifth time for Indonesia to make it to the final, and a success this week would bury the ghost of defeat from 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2010.
Indonesia’s success so far has surprised everyone, as it entered the tournament without playing any competitive match since the last AFF Suzuki Cup, held in 2014.
The team had suffered under a one-year ban from international events imposed by world soccer body FIFA.
The AFF Cup is the first international tournament for the Red-and-White team after the lifting
of the ban.
“We had to make a lot of tactical changes, and that has been the key that allowed us to play so well in the tournament,” said Riedl. “But ultimately the key has been playing as a team, and our spirit has been incredible.”
In Hanoi last week Indonesia achieved a memorable extra-time 4-3 win on aggregate after a 2-2 draw with Vietnam in the semifinal second-leg match at My Dinh National Stadium.
The Garudas have lost only one game in the event so far, namely their first match, in a 4-2 defeat to Thailand.
Thailand is bidding to win the AFF Suzuki Cup for a record fifth time and remains unbeaten this year with five victories in the tournament.
“We know how dangerous Indonesia can be; we have seen what they can do. They did so well to beat Vietnam in the semifinal,” said Thailand’s coach, Kiatisuk “Zico” Senamuang.
Indonesian soccer observer Anton Sanjoyo offers a sober outlook for Wednesday’s match.
“Indonesia still has the chance to win the trophy, although it is quite slim,” Anton told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
Thailand, in a number of aspects, was slightly stronger than Indonesia, he said.
“In experience and stamina, for example, [the Thais] are above [the Indonesians]. That’s because most of Thailand’s men have played in more tournaments — local and overseas.
“Meanwhile, only a few of our men are actively competing,” said Anton, referring to midfielders Andik Vermansyah, who plays for Malaysia’s Selangor FA, and Stefano Lilipaly, who plays for Holland’s SC Telstar.
Anton predicts that Indonesia, at least, will hold Thailand to a draw in the first leg. “For me, Indonesia winning the cup would be a miracle. [It would be] such a rare thing — but who knows?”
The Soccer Association of Indonesia on Tuesday opened one-day counters for offline ticket sales at military facilities in Jakarta, with a total of 10,000 tickets, and Bogor, with around 5,000 tickets. All were sold out before noon.
Tickets are available online at kiostix.com, with prices ranging from Rp 100,000 (US$7.5) to Rp 500,000.
