Boediono: "Garuda" Squad Only Unlucky

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Vice President Boediono highly appreciated the spectacular struggle of Indonesian soccer team against Malaysia in the AFF Suzuki Cup’s final match here Wednesday night but good luck did not belong to the Garuda squad.

After watching the second legs of the cup’s final match which was won by the Garuda (eagle) squad with 2-1, Boediono said the good luck did not belong to Indonesia in this Wednesday night’s match.      

"The good luck has yet to be with us tonight despite a number of good chances that our players have made and their so high fighting spirit," he said.      

Vice President Boediono watched the final match on TV at his official residence here with his staff members, security guards, and a number of journalists. He said the "Red and White" players had done their best in the 90-minute match.

"I pray for our national team’s success in the future," he said.  The Indonesian soccer team won the second leg of the AFF Suzuki Cup’s final with 2-1 but the championship trophy was grabbed by Malaysia with an aggregate victory of 4-2.

Garuda team members performed well from the beginning with the enthusiastic support of over a hundred thousand fans, including President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and First Lady Ani Yudhoyono at the cup’s final match at Gelora Bung Karno stadium here Wednesday evening.

In the first leg of the AFF Suzuki Cup’s final in Kuala Lumpur on December 26, the Malaysian tiger crushed Garuda (eagle)   3-0. Actually Indonesia had beaten Malaysia in the cup’s preliminary competition  5-1 in Jakarta.

But the performance of the Malayan tiger squad successfully improved and beat Vietnam in the cup’s semifinal. Indonesia itself could get the final ticket after beating the Philippines in the first and second legs of the cup’s semifinal at Gelora Bung Karno stadium.

Indonesia’s victory against the Philippines team in the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup’s semifinal last Sunday evening had revived  the nation’s pride but the "Red and White" squad was not successful in grabbing the AFF Suzuki Cup’s trophy.