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Asian Games: Indonesia shocks Hong Kong to top group in soccer
Indonesia shocked Hong Kong in the last group stage soccer match at the Asian Games.
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Alberto Gonzales (JP/P.J. Leo)
I
ndonesia bounced back from a goal down to beat Hong Kong, China, 3-1, in the last Group A soccer match at the Patriot Candrabaga Stadium in Bekasi, West Java, to top the table.
Hong Kong took the lead in the 37th minute and stunned 25,000 home fans when captain Hok Ming Lau was left unmarked to comfortably score an opener with a header from a close range.
The goal served as a wakeup call to Indonesia, which needed a victory to avoid powerhouses in the knockout round, to become more aggressive in the remainder of the first half.
Irfan Jaya netted an equalizer, his second goal in the tournament, one minute into the second half, as he escaped an offside trap to beat goalkeeper Ho Chun Yuen.
Yuen was called into action again seven minutes later, as he flew to punch Putu Gede's screamer from outside the box.
Stefano Lilipaly scored Indonesia's much-needed goal five minutes before the final whistle, after deceiving a defender to launch a strike past the keeper.
Hanif sealed the victory with his finishing after receiving an assist from Lilipaly, who skipped past two of his guardians before delivering a low-drilled cross from the right wing.
Indonesia, having collected 9 points, tops the group after previously defeating Chinese Taipei 4-0 in the group opener, before losing 2-1 to second-placed Palestine.
The Garuda bounced back to defeat Laos 3-0 in the third match. (yan)
