Wim said that the team`s target in the home-match is to achieve full points.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian senior soccer team coach Wim Rijsbergen has asked a total of 26 players to do intensive exercises at the National Training Center starting October 1, 2011 in preparation for a match with Qatar on October 11 in Jakarta.

Players who have been called to join the exercises include three goal keepers, namely Markus Haris Maulana, Ferry Rotinsulu, I Made Wirawan.

The others are back players M Nasuha, Zulkifli Syukur, Beny Wahyudi, Hamka Hamzah, M Roby, Ricardo Salampessy, Purwaka Yudi, Wahyu Wijiastanto and Supardi.

Also required to train are midfielders Toni Sucipto, M Ridwan, Firman Utina, M Ilham, Ahmad Bustomi, Hariono, as well as strikers Cristian Gonzales, Bambang Pamungkas, Ferdinand Sinaga, Boaz Solossa, Irfan Bachdim, Samsul Arif, Yongki Aribowo and Zulham Malik, national team media officer Desy Christina said here on Tuesday (Sept 27).

The country`s senior soccer team lost 0-3 (0-0) to Iran in the third round of the Pre-World Cup 2011 round in group E at Tehran`s Azadi Stadium early on Saturday (Sept.2).

Apart from that, on Tuesday night (Sept.6), the Indonesian team also lost 0-2 (0-1) to Bahrain at the Bung Karno main stadium here.

In a tossup in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, some time ago, the Indonesian soccer team was put in Group E along with Iran, Qatar and Bahrain.

Prior to playing Qatar, the Indonesian team will face the Saudi Arabian soccer team in a friendly match which is scheduled to take place on October 7.

Meanwhile, national assistant coach Liestiadi said the list of players called for the exercises was drawn up based on the results of a discussion.

Indonesia`s senior soccer team is widely expected to win its upcoming match with Qatar at the Bung Karno main stadium on October 11.

Indonesian striker Christian Gonzales and other members of the Indonesian team would have the psychological advantage of facing Qatar on their own turf where they are assured of the moral support of tens of thousands of domestic soccer fans.

Speaking to the press here on Monday (Sept.5), Wim said that the team`s target in the home-match is to achieve full points.

He also hoped the Indonesian team would win the game and thereby lift the country`s name in the international arena and also raise its position in FIFA`s ranking.

Previously, Wim also said that remaining in an attacking position was the right formula to ward off the opponent`s attacks.

Players from Middle Eastern countries were adept at capitalizing on dead balls as shown by the Iranian team when they defeated Firman Utina and his friends.

"In addition, we have asked our players to avoid violating the rules in the ​defense area because the consequences will be quite harmful" said Wim who comes from Holland.

Prior to facing Iran in early September, the Indonesian team also conducted a try-out match against the Jordanian national soccer team on August 27.

The national team left Jakarta for Amman, Jordan, on August 23 after beating Palestine 4-1 (0-0 draw in the first round) on August 22 in a friendly match in the Manahan stadium in Solo, Central Java, before around 24,000 spectators.

When playing against the Jordanian team, the Indonesian soccer players were trying to apply the quick foot-to-foot game, but the Jordanian team player of Abdullah Deeb successfully scored a goal at 49th minute through a corner kick that went straight to Markus Haris Maulana`s wicket.

The national team players on the occasion also tried to penetrate into the host`s defense team.

The Indonesian senior team players with smaller postures compared to the Jordanians, actually had demonstrated the foot-to-foot bait and followed with kicks, one of them was conducted by Christian Gonzalez, and caused enough troublesome to the Jordanian defense.

At the 17th minute, the golden opportunity occurred when a direct feedback from Christian Gonzalez was received by M Ridwan and he made solo run straight into the opponent`s goalkeeper. Unfortunately Ridwan`s shot deviated slightly from the Jordanian goal.

The Jordanian players with bigger postures then continued using long passes. Thanks to solid defense and the brilliant goalkeeper of Ferry Rotinsulu, Indonesian wicket remains safe.

Unfortunately, Rotinsulu (the Sriwijaya FC goalkeeper) was then forced to be replaced by Markus Harris Maulana at the 30th minute after Rotinsulu injured his knee.

In addition, M. Ilham at the 40th minute gave a cross bait to M. Ridwan, but his shot was blocked by the opponent`s goalkeeper, and the score remained 0-0 until halftime.

In the second half of the game, both teams alternated pressures. However, the host team made pressures, so they often made the Indonesian team`s defense led by Hamka Hamzah hassles.

At the 49th minute, the Jordanian Abdullah Deeb took a corner kick straight into Markus Haris Maulana`s goalkeeper, making the score 0-1 for the Jordanian team.

After being defeated for twice, Indonesia`s team now stands at the lowest position in the group E. Thus, there is no other alternative except to win the match against Qatar soccer team on October 11 in Jakarta.

So that, in the relatively short time of preparation, starting from early October, the coach Wim Rijsbergen is facing a great challenge of how to prepare a good team in the face of Qatar on October 11.(*)

Reporter: By Bustanuddin
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2011