BITTER DISAPPOINTMENT FOR INDONESIA AND CAMBODIA

Indonesia, which have initiated programmes with Uruguay and where they even had coach Alberto Bica leading the squad for the Vientiane Games, won only one point in the championship following their superb 2-2 draw against Singapore in the first group match.

But defeats to hosts Laos (2-0) in their first match and then to Myanmar (2-1) in their final group match last night, meant that Indonesia recorded their worst ever outing at the biennial championships.

“The players played well, I thought,” said Nurdin Halid, the president of the Indonesia FA (PSSI).

“They even dominated play and created a lot of chances, it is just a little disappointing that they could not turn any of them into goals.”

In the meantime, the Cambodian squad were also dumped out of Group A following their 4-0 loss to Malaysia in their last match.

The Cambodians had conceded a 4-0 loss to Thailand in the first game before a 4-1 victory over Timor Leste in the second match.

They were eager for a win over the Malaysians but a failed penalty in the second half dashed their chance to draw level which in turn gave their opponents the impetus to score further goals.

Cambodia will play Vietnam in their last Group A match later today at the Chao Anuvong Stadium without any hope of advancing further in the competition.

“It’s something we spoke about,” said head coach Scott O’Donell afterwards.

“The need to remain disciplined and maintain our shape even when we are committing more players forward in search of goals. It is a tough lesson to learn but we have to learn from it.

“The difference was in the quality of the finishing. I thought for 70 minutes the game was fairly even, but as we all know the game is for 90 minutes not 70.”