•    HOME   
•    NEWS   
•    BUSINESS   
•    INTERNATIONAL   
•    TECH   
•    SPORTS   
•    LIFE & TIMES   
•    OPINION   
•    MY JAKARTA   
•    BLOGS   
•    EYEWITNESS   

Jakarta. Indonesia hadn’t faced a stern test yet in the Asean Football Federation Suzuki Cup. But when that test finally came on Tuesday, Merah Putih rose to the occasion and now look every bit as ready to go all the way to claim the title.

Captain Bambang Pamungkas delivered under pressure, scoring from two penalties, and Indonesia toughed out a 2-1 victory over Thailand at a packed Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta to secure a sweep of Group A.

Indonesia had flashed efficiency in offense and a surging energy to win its first two games and seal a spot in the semifinals. So with the last group-stage game having no significance, the hosts could easily have gone through the motions.

Instead, the team showed why it is the odds-on favorite for the title by frustrating a Thailand side with a newfound mental discipline, making it 13 goals scored for only 2 against in 3 games..

“With a game played that way, I think a draw would have been a fair result,” Indonesia coach Alfred Riedl said. “We approached the game with a defensive mind-set because we expected Thailand to go in full-attack mode.”

The Austrian coach tinkered with his lineup, fielding Eka Ramdani and Tony Sucipto in the middle in place of Firman Utina and Ahmad Bustomi, which seemed to unsettle the team, which struggled for rhythm in offense.

After the two teams headed into the break without a goal, Thailand stepped up its attack in the second half behind playmaker Datsakorn Thonglao.

Two saves by Indonesia keeper Markus Haris Maulana could have deflated the visitors’ confidence, but Thai midfielder Suree Sukha finally found the net with a bicycle kick in the 68th minute.

The home side’s fans were ready to concede defeat and look ahead to next week’s semifinals when Nataporn Phanrit blatantly pulled down striker Christian Gonzales inside the box in the 80th minute, signaling the beginning of the end for Thailand coach Bryan Robson’s side.

Bambang, Indonesia’s star striker who has settled well into his role as substitute, had come on for Irfan Bachdim in the 58th minute, and drilled in the ensuing penalty kick.

Bambang then faced Thai keeper Sinthaweechai Hathairattanakool again three minutes before full time, after Japanese referee Ryuji Shato handed Panupong Wongsa a straight red card for deflecting a shot by Arif Suyono with his hand.

Bambang again fooled Sinthaweechai into going right before slotting in the winner in the opposite corner.

Also on Tuesday, Malaysia claimed second place in Group A with a 5-1 thrashing of Laos at Sriwijaya Stadium in Palembang, South Sumatra.

Indonesia will find out who it will face in the semifinals when Group B concludes its matches in Hanoi today.

Singapore and Vietnam battle for an outright berth in the next round, while the Philippines tries to keep its improbable run alive when it faces ousted Burma.