Indonesia Coba Akhiri 'Kutukan' Gajah Putih

VIVAnews - Thailand menjadi musuh bebuyutan Indonesia di pentas SEA Games. Tim Gajah Putih acap kali merepotkan langkah Indonesia sejak multievent olahraga terakbar se-Asia Tenggara ini digelar pada 1977.

Sejauh ini, rekor pertemuan kedua tim di SEA Games masih berpihak kepada Thailand. Dari 16 kali pertemuan, Indonesia hanya mampu menang sebanyak 3 kali. Dua pertemuan berakhir dengan hasil imbang. Sedangkan sisanya dimenangkan Thailand.

Anehnya, saat berada satu grup dengan Thailand di babak penyisihan, Indonesia selalu kesulitan melaju ke semifinal. Dari enam kali kedua tim berada satu grup, Indonesia hanya mampu lolos ke semifinal sebanyak dua kali saja.

Pertama terjadi pada SEA Games 1979. Saat itu, Indonesia kalah 1-3 di babak penyisihan, namun tetap melaju hingga ke final. Di babak play-off menuju final, Indonesia menang 3-1 lewat adu penalti setelah di babak normal bemain 0-0.

Selanjutnya, Indonesia juga sukses melewati hadangan Thailand di SEA Games 1987. Saat itu, Indonesia bermain imbang 0-0 di penyisihan Grup B. Di babak final, Indonesia mengalahkan Malaysia dengan skor tipis 1-0.

Pada SEA Games 2011, Indonesia kembali satu grup dengan Thailand. Kedua tim akan bertemu di Stadion Utama Gelora Bung Karno (SUGBK), Senayan, Minggu malam, 13 November 2011.

Langkah Tim Merah Putih kali ini lebih mulus dari Thailand. Pasukan Rahmad Darmawan sukses merebut dua kemenangan beruntun yakni atas Kamboja 6-0 dan Singapura 2-0.

Thailand boleh dikatakan kurang beruntung. Di laga perdana, pasukan Prapol Pongpanich menyerah 1-2 dari juara bertahan Malaysia. Sedangkan di laga kedua, Thailand berhasil bangkit dan mengalahkan Kamboja dengan skor telak 4-0.

"Tidak ada yang berubah dengan kekuatan Thailand. Mereka merupakan tim yang solid dan pintar dalam memainkan ritme, baik dalam menyerang maupun bertahan. Ini yang harus dicermati anak-anak," kata RD, Sabtu 12 November 2011.

Dengan mengantongi dua kemenangan, duel dini lawan Thailand memang bukanlah partai hidup mati bagi Indonesia. Pasalnya, kegagalan masih bisa ditebus Patrich Wanggai dan kawan-kawan saat bertemu Malaysia di pertandingan terakhir grup.

Namun, Rahmad tak ingin berspekulasi. Mantan asisten pelatih timnas senior itu berharap pasukannya bisa segera mengamankan tiket menuju semifinal. Caranya, dengan memetik kemenangan dalam pertarungan melawan Tim Gajah Putih.

Tak ingin kecolongan, Rahmad pun mengumpulkan setiap informasi mengenai tim Thailand. Bahkan, mantan pelatih Persija Jakarta, Persipura Jayapura dan Sriwijaya FC itu, tidak melewatkan dua laga Gajah Putih di SEA Games 2011.

"Saya tidak lagi mengumpulkan data mengenai Thailand, tapi saya sudah menyaksikan mereka bermain di dua laga sebelumnya. Mereka masih tim bagus," beber Rahmad.

Menghadapi Thailand, Garuda Muda kembali tanpa Stevie Bonsapia. Pemain Persipura Jayapura itu masih menjalani pemulihan usai menderita penyakit lambung, Selasa lalu.

Selain Stevie, kondisi pemain Papua lainnya, Titus Bonai yang sudah mengoleksi dua gol juga masih tanda tanya. Pasalnya, Tibo menderita demam dan tidak bisa mengikuti sesi latihan Sabtu, 12 November 2011.

Beruntung, cedera yang menimpa Patrich Wanggai tidak terlalu parah. Pemain Persidafon Dafonsoro yang telah mengoleksi tiga gol itu hanya mengalami memar seusai berbenturan dengan pemain Singapura, Jumat 11 November 2011.

Sementara itu, Thailand juga sudah siap tempur. Dengan koleksi satu kemenangan dari dua laga, Gajah Putih juga mamatok target poin penuh saat bertemu Indonesia.

"Kami harus meraih kemenangan, karena hasil imbang mungkin belum cukup untuk meraih tiket ke semifinal,” kata manajer Thailand, Kasem Jariyawatwong.

Kasem juga menambahkan, timnya sudah siap tampil all out meski Indonesia akan dibantu oleh pemain ke-12. "Kami akan bermain menghadapi kerumunan suporter dalam stadion. Namun, saya rasa para pemain mampu mengontrol emosi mereka,” tuturnya.

Rekor Pertemuan Indonesia vs Thailand di SEA Games
1977Semifinal: Indonesia kalah setelah wasit menghentikan laga di menit 60

1979Penyisihan Grup B
Indonesia vs Thailand 1-3
Play off ke final
Indonesia vs Thailand 0-0 (3-1)

1981Semifinal: Indonesia vs Thailand 0-2

1983Penyisihan Grup B
Indonesia vs Thailand 0-5

1985Semifinal: Indonesia vs Thailand 0-7

1987 (Indonesia Juara)Penyisihan Grup B
Indonesia vs Thailand 0-0

1989Perebutan Perunggu
Indonesia vs Thailand 1-1 (9-8)

1991Final: Indonesia vs Thailand 0-0 (4-3)

1993Semifinal: Indonesia vs Thailand: 0-1

1995Penyisihan Grup A
Indonesia vs Thailand 1-2

1997Final: Indonesia vs Thailand 1-1 (2-4)

1999tidak bertemu

2001Semifinal: Indonesia vs Thailand: 0-2

2003
Penyisihan Grup A
Indonesia vs Thailand: 0-6

2005
Semifinal: Indonesia vs Thailand 1-3

2007
Penyisihan Grup A
Indonesia vs Thailand: 1-2

2009
Gagal lolos grup B, posisi paling buncit
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Blue-sky thinking

Banned from bringing banners to the ground, Blackburn supporters are sufficiently resourceful to take to the air. Freedom of speech still exists at altitude. And yet, whatever the merits of their new vantage point, past judgments were being applied to current events. While Kean's record deteriorates - with three wins in 25 league games, he is in greater need of a bailout from the super-rich than the Greek government - Blackburn's displays have improved. The corner may have been turned, in performances if not results, but minds have been made up. For many, Kean cruised past the point of no return. He cannot win a popularity contest; his side, even when performing well, struggle to win a game.
A typically clinical Frank Lampard condemned them to defeat and, in the process, averted a third successive league loss for Chelsea. A wonderfully efficient footballer delivered the decisive touch in what used to be Chelsea's signature scoreline. No longer - this was their maiden 1-0 of the league season and a first clean sheet since the opening game at Stoke - and it represented a triumph of pragmatism, rather than the purism Andre Villas-Boas was supposed to espouse.
But as the Portuguese himself admitted: "We had to suffer a little bit." Petr Cech's suffering was physical as well as mental, the goalkeeper sustaining a suspected broken nose when he, Ashley Cole and Yakubu collided after the striker shot wide.
After seven minutes of treatment on the pitch, Cech carried on. "We asked him at half time and he wanted to continue," Villas-Boas said. "It shows the bravery and the commitment." It was required, too, as Cech denied Yakubu, Morten Gamst Pedersen and Grant Hanley before Branislav Ivanovic headed against his own bar.
"I don't think you can continue to play like that without going on a very, very strong run," Kean said but, after insisting his side played well after poor showings in the past, more reasonable assessments somehow seem less creditable. "We are confident we can climb the table." They need to and Rovers' recent run, against Tottenham, Newcastle and Norwich, has indicated an upturn may be on the horizon for a manager who insisted he did not turn his gaze skyward when the plane circled above Ewood Park.
Chelsea have a greater taste for heights and are unworried how they get there. "It was important to win, no matter what," Villas-Boas said. Of almost equal importance, after Robin van Persie's evisceration of their defence in last week's demolition derby, was to keep a clean sheet.
 The moment Blackburn's beleaguered manager had been awaiting arrived 25 minutes in. "Steve Kean," came the chorus from the Darwen End. "We want you to stay." There was only one slight problem: the ones chanting were Chelsea fans. Their cue? The plane that flew over Ewood Park proclaiming: "Steve Kean out."
It was achieved, albeit awkwardly, after a rethink and a reshuffle. Villas-Boas' back four appeared to be stationed a little nearer their goal and, if the right half of the defence still seems fragile - both Yakubu's chances came from openings fashioned there - there was an added benefit to the manager's tinkerings.
Ivanovic was shifted to full-back where he delivered some enticing crosses before one brought the breakthrough. The Serb's ball in was struck with unexpected expertise with the outside of his right foot. Lampard, plunging forwards, headed it in. "It was a good goal," Villas-Boas added. "The cross from Ivanovic is inch perfect and Frank has found his timing to arrive in the box, like the old days."
Reminders of the past extended beyond the scoreline. This was the sort of result Chelsea specialised in producing when Villas-Boas' duties were confined to scouting the opposition: hard-fought 1-0 wins away from home. It was a blast from their past.
He is expected to bring some blue-sky thinking to a familiar question: how do Chelsea move on into a new era? Kean, a manager staring at a precipitous descent into the Championship, believes things are looking up for Rovers. But pigs, rather than planes, might fly before Blackburn supporters draw up banners and pay for aircraft pronouncing "Steve Kean in".
MAN OF THE MATCH: Frank Lampard. He illustrated his continuing importance to Chelsea with another vital goal. Nothing spectacular apart from that, but he was the epitome of reliability.
BLACKBURN VERDICT: Ewood Park used to be a fortress but with five defeats in six home games - albeit after welcoming Manchester City, Tottenham and now Chelsea to Lancashire - they are in desperate need of a result on their own turf. It helps that more winnable games are coming up and that, with Mauro Formica influential, a younger side are beginning to gel. But they cannot keep a clean sheet, and their profligacy in attack bodes badly.
CHELSEA VERDICT: They remain a work in progress. Fernando Torres was left on the bench for the first half before replacing the ineffectual Florent Malouda, but his troubles continued, the striker missing a gilt-edged chance in injury time. Before then, Daniel Sturridge was granted the opportunity in the role he covets, as the main striker, but he couldn't make the most of it; that Juan Mata had perhaps his poorest Chelsea game hardly helped him. With the limited John Obi Mikel preferred to the promising Oriol Romeu as the midfield anchorman, Villas-Boas opted for conservatism in midfield. On this occasion, it paid off.

Import From: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story/_/id/980442/jolly:-chelsea-edge-out-blackburn-rovers-at-ewood-park?cc=4716

Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 Slovan Bratislava: Solitary Pastore strike hands Ligue 1 leaders vital Group F victory

Paris Saint-Germain took a step closer to the knockout stages of the Europa League thanks to Javier Pastore’s 63rd minute strike that settled its Group F encounter versus Slovan Bratislava at Parc des Princes.

Despite the French side enjoying the lion’s share of opportunities, Bratislava failed to convert several chances in what was an open contest. Mathieu Bodmer was guilty of squandering a guilt-edged opening to make the scoreline more respectable for the Ligue 1 leaders, but Pastore's goal proved enough to edge PSG closer to progression.

Keepers Nicolas Douchez and Lukas Hrosso were kept relatively busy by both teams in the opening half hour with mostly long-range shots peppering their respective goals.

PSG winger Nene spent much of the night tormenting the visitors, with several powerful left-footed shots from open play and set pieces. At the other end, Marko Milinkovic nearly saw his team get on the scoresheet first, but instead forced a good save from Douchez just before the hour mark.

Not to be outdone, Douchez's opposite number Hroso also showed his athletic ability by parrying a fierce right-footed piledriver from Jeremy Menez.

A few minutes later, though, PSG made the breakthrough. Pastore struck a beautiful left cross from Nene through the legs of Hrosso to lift the Parisian crowd.

Hrosso and co tried to hang on and the Slovakian was forced into action more than once to keep the score down, and in the end the French hosts had to settle for a solitary goal victory.

Antoine Kombouare’s side are now unbeaten at home in 18 European matches (11 wins, seven draws) and trail Group F leaders Athletic Bilbao, who defeated Salzburg in the section's other fixture.

import from: http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=goal-parissaintgermainslovanbrat