WIN OVER MALDIVES GIVE INDONESIA HOPE

The Indonesian team under Alfred Riedl were overpowered 7-1 in their last friendly match against Uruguay and they seemed to have shrugged their humiliation off their shoulders.

In the match that was played at the Siliwangi Stadium in Bandung, the hosts got their goals off Oktavianus Maniani, Yongky Aribowo and Tony Sucipto – all with just two international caps.

Coming in place of Mohd Ridwan, striker Oktavianus’ early aggression paid off in the 30th minute when he made good on the cross from Boaz Solossa.

With veteran striker Bambang Pamungkas and Boaz unable to add to the score line, Riedl then introduced Jaya Teguh Angga and Yongki Aribowo.

And the latter did not wait too long to make the score sheet when in the 74th minute, Yongky beat Maldives keeper Mohamed Imran for the second time on the night.

Yongky was again in the thick of the action for the third goal when he delievered a cross from the right for Tony Sucipto to slam home.

INDONESIA: Markus Haris Maulana, Nova Arianto, Maman A, Beny Wahyudi (Yesaya Desnam), M Nasuha (Slamet Riyadi), Tony Sucipto, Oktavianus Maniani (Ambrizal) , Firman Utina, Ahmad Bustomi (Hariono), Bambang Pamungkas (Yongki Aribowo), Boaz Salossa (Jaya Teguh Angga)

MALDIVES: Mohamed Imran; Thasneem Mohamed, Abdul Ghani Akram, Abdulla Ahmed, Abdulla Ibrahim; Umair Mohamed, Arif Mohamed, Fazeel Ibrahim, Naseer Mukhthar; Ashfaq Ali, Nafili Ali.