SEA GAMES 2011: INDONESIA WHITEWASH CAMBODIA TO TOP GROUP A

SENAYAN (7 Nov 2011) – Hosts Indonesia showed no quarters on the night to whitewash Cambodia 6-0 in the second game of Group A of men’s football that was played at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium tonight.

Needing a win to show their seriousness to win the gold medal at the biennial championship, the Indonesians raced to a four goal lead at the half before adding two further goals after the break.

In the first quarter of the match, the game could have gone either way with Indonesia looking for the spaces in between to prise open the Cambodian defence.

In the 17^th minute, Cambodia even managed to put the goal at the back of the Indonesian net but it was called for off side.

And for a time at least Lee Tae Hoon, the chief coach of Cambodia, seems to have found the equation for consistency as their defence stood firm against the unnerving onslaught in front of thousands of the Indonesian faithful in the white and red.

But then, came the first goal.

Off a cross from the left in the 27^th minute, the waiting Titus Bonai headed the ball down which totally caught the Cambodian keeper off guard before Patrich Wanggai then made it 2-0 with a superbly taken free kick.

Defender Gunawan Dwi Cahyo then nailed the third goal in the 37^th minute when he nodded home the cross from Oktovianus Maniani as Patrich carved his second of the evening and Indonesia’s fourth with five minutes remaining of the first half.

Four goals behind at the half and everything seems to be working against Cambodia. But that did not force them to put every men they had behind the ball where they pressed the Indonesian defence hard.

And for a time, the Indonesians were back pedalling but for some good work off keeper Kurnia Meiga and also marshalling centre back Abdul Rahman to fend off the attacks.

But in the 81^st minute, substitute Andik Vermansyah finally clinch the fifth goal for Indonesia with a stiff grounder as Ramdani Lestaluhu then rounded things off two minutes later.

With the win, Indonesia are perched at the top of the table with three points ahead of Singapore and Malaysia with one point each.

SEA GAMES FIXTURES
GROUP A