It's do-or-die for Indonesia in AFC

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Wed, 01/17/2007 3:20 PM

The Indonesian soccer team has no choice but win its final round-robin match against host Singapore on Wednesday to reach the ASEAN Football Championship semifinal.

Indonesia is hungry to break its finals jinx. It has reached the final round of the championship -- formerly known as the Tiger Cup -- three times, and lost each time.

Indonesia is tied with Singapore at the top of Group B, with four points from two matches, but the latter has a plus 11-goal difference after crushing Laos 11-0.

Indonesia coach Peter Withe was optimistic that his team would triumph after getting a morale boost in its draw against Vietnam on Monday.

""Looking back, I felt we should have gotten 3 full points against Vietnam and scored more goals against Laos. But I take great heart in our second-half performance against Vietnam and hopefully we will continue from where we left off when we take on Singapore in our final group match,"" Withe said on the organizers' website.

He added that Indonesia would play without two-goal scorer Saktiawan Sinaga, who was left in the bench after receiving two yellow cards.

Forward Bambang Pamungkas, who came on as a substitute against Vietnam on Monday, will have a chance to start.

His presence, Withe added, could be of great help to the squad.

Singapore's coach Raddy Avramovic expected a tough battle against Indonesia.

""To be involved in the final group match and with a place in the semifinal at stake is good for football. It will be a hard game with so much to play for. Indonesia is in a difficult position because they have to win.

""And we are in a difficult position too because we do not want to lose either,"" added Avramovic. -- JP

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