Indonesia face exit as Cambodia gain rare win

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JAKARTA, Dec 21: A draw with Vietnam left co-hosts Indonesia with only a slim chance of advancing to the latter stages of the Tiger Cup on Saturday, as an injury-time goalkeeping howler gifted Cambodia a 1-0 victory over the Philippines.

Indonesia ended the first half of their match 1-0 up thanks to a goal on 15 minutes from Budi Sudarsono that prompted ecstatic screams from the partisan crowd filling much of the 100,000-seat Bung Karno Stadium.

But Vietnam tied the match at 1-1 in the 51st minute with a strike from Pham Van Taiem. Eight minutes later, Le Huynh Duc put the Vietnamese ahead and angry local fans hurled water bottles onto the field in protest.

Indonesia’s I Putu Gede Swisantoso earned a yellow card for a rash tackle in the 63rd minute but things got worse when team-mate Gendut Doni Christawan was sent off in the 77th minute for punching Vietnamese defender Nguyen Duc Thang.

Down to 10 men, the Indonesians fought back and tied the game in the 81st minute with a goal from Zaenal Arif.

Indonesian coach Ivan Kolev said his team should have won the match but were defeated because of over-confidence in the opening minutes of the second half.

“With this 2-2 score our chances are extremely thin but there’s still a chance” of reaching the finals, coach Kolev said.

Vietnam’s coach Henrique Calisto said his opponents played quickly and strongly.

“Vietnam in the first half couldn’t penetrate the Indonesian defence. In the second half Vietnam played faster,” he said, blaming the second Indonesian goal on a weary Vietnamese defence.

Second-place Vietnam and group leader Myanmar face each other Monday night while Indonesia takes on last-place Philippines, who lost to Cambodia Saturday.

With the score 0-0 as the final whistle neared, Philippines keeper Edmundo Mercado Jnr. made a weak clearance while under pressure from Hok Sochivorn. The ball fell right to the feet of Ung Khanyanith, who fired it into the unguarded net, giving Cambodia a victory over their last-place rivals.

Neither side had a point coming into the match.

Fine play by keeper Ouk Mio, and the goalposts, helped save the Cambodians from conceding two goals. Mio blocked Philippines striker Alfredo Gonzalez from 25 yards out in the 60th minute, tipping the ball onto the crossbar.

Ali Go’s shot from the edge of the box came back off the right post in the 75th minute.

The victory was a going-away present for Cambodian coach Joachim Fickert, who led his side for the last time. Fickert’s team had earlier lost three straight games.

“It was a good result for us. We played well and had a few good chances against the Philippines,” said Fickert, stepping down after seven years as Cambodian coach.

“My team tried to play football today and for me, I’m satisfied,” he said.

Philippines coach Sugao Kambe took responsibility for the loss but said his team must work harder.

“I told the players that it would not be easy to win here. We need a 200 percent effort. That was why we couldn’t score and couldn’t win,” he said.

French first division result

PARIS, Dec 21: Result of a French first division soccer match played on Friday:

Sochaux 3 RC Lens 0

Olympique Marseille 1 Monaco 1

Bastia 3 Nantes 1

En Avant Guingamp 3 Ajaccio 1

Lille 1 Le Havre 0

Sedan 1 Olympique Lyon 1

Strasbourg 0 Nice 0

Troyes 0 Stade Rennes 1

Montpellier v AJ Auxerre postponed.—Reuters

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