The Team Never Lost during 26th Sea Games

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Struggling hard in playing the Malaysian team in the 26th SEA Games soccer competition`s finals on Monday night, Indonesian team failed to grab gold medal after being defeated by the Malaysian team 4-5 (1-1).

Therefore, the Indonesian team only got silver, while bronze medal went to Myanmar which earlier defeated Vietnam 4-1 in the same stadium namely the Jakarta`s Bung Karno Sports Stadium on Monday afternoon. Malaysia as the defending soccer champion of the SEA Games soccer match reached the victory through the penalty shoot round after four of its soccerers successfully netted goals.

In the penalty shoot round, the Malaysia’s player, Saarani Ahmad Muslim failed to net the goal. In the meantime, only three out of five of the Indonesian soccer players who could net the goals during the penalty shoot round.

At the first half of the match, the Indonesian team player, Gunawan Dwi Cahyo made the goal at the fifth minute. While the Malaysian team player, Omar Mohd Asrarudin made the goal at the 34th minute. The match ended in 1-1 score.

At the 30 minute-extra round, both teams failed to create even a single goal. That’s why the penalty shoot round was conducted in a bid to decide the soccer champion.

In the 25th SEA Games in Laos, Malaysia emerged as the soccer champion. The Indonesian team went to the finals round after defeating Vietnam 4-1 at the semifinal round last Saturday night.

However, two days before its win over Vietnam on November 17, the Indonesian team lost 0-1 to the Malaysians. Malaysian player Ibrahim Syahrul Azwani made a goal at the 16th minute. The 0-1 score remained unchanged until the end of the match.

The 0-1 score made the Malaysian team the champion of group A in the 26th South East Asian (SEA) Games. The Malaysian team never lost during the 26th SEA Games. While Indonesian team lost 0-1 when playing the neighboring country’s team on November 17.

In the final game Indonesia fielded Kurnia Meiga(goal keeper), Hasim Kipuw, Gunawan Dwi cahyo, Abdul Rahman, Diego Michiels, Oktivianus Maniani, Egi Melgiansyah, Mahardiga Lasut/Hendro Siswanto, Andik vermansyah/Ferdinan Sinaga, Patrich Wanggai/Ramdani Lestaluhu and Titus Bonai.

Malaysia meanwhile fielded Che Mat Khairul Fahmi (goal keeper), Jasuli Mahali, Mohd Azmi Mohd Zubir, Mohd Shas Mohammad Fadhli, Omar Mohd Asrarudin/Othman Mohammad Fandi, Fazail Mohd Irfan, Ambumamee Thamil Arasu/Yong Kuong Yong, Bakhtiar Baddrol, G. Kandasamy Gurusamy/Mansor Muhd Nazmi Faiz, Saarani Ahmad Fakri, Ahmad Mohammad Muslim.

Ahead of reaching the final rounds, on Monday (Nov.7), the Indonesian team gained a big victory when it defeated the Cambodian team 6-0. In the match, the Indonesian goals were made by Titus Bonai in the 27th minute, Patrick Wanggai in the 29th and 40th minutes, Gunawan Dwi Cahyo in the 34th minute, Andik Vermansyah in the 81st and Ramdani Lestaluhu in the 84th minute.

However, in playing Singaporean team on Nov 11 the Indonesia`s national soccer team won 2-0. The first goal was made by Patrick Wanggai in the first minute and the second one by Titus Bonai in the 37th minute.

After beating Singapore, the Indonesian team on Sunday evening (Nov 13) again beat Thailand`s team 3-1 in Group A match. The first goal of the `Garuda Muda` national soccer team was netted by Titus Bonai at the 33rd minute. The second goal was made by Patrich Wangi at the 64th minute while the third one was netted by Ferdinan Sinaga at the 90th minute.

In the meantime, Thailand`s goal was made by Rannachai Rangsiyo through a penalty kick in front of the Indonesian goal in the 53rd minute. The Malaysian soccer team defeated Myanmar team 1-0 on Saturday afternoon (Nov 19) after Saarani Ahmad Fakri netted a goal at the 84th minute.

Playing in front of tens of thousands of spectators, including the Youths and Sports affairs Minister Andi Mallarangeng, the Indonesian team struggled hard to win.

Although the country’s team had made a success by defeating several teams before playing Malaysian team, but the "Garuda Muda" or the Indonesia`s under-23-years-old (U-23) soccer team, led by its chief coach Rahmad Darmawan, still should admit Malaysia’s soccer "superiority" in the South East Asian region.