Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Shortly after arriving in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, the Indonesian soccer team would have light training at MSN Field at 5 PM Malaysian time.
The players, coaches and their entourage left for Kuala Lumpur by chartered aircraft from Halim Perdanakusuma Airport here at 9.30 AM Jakarta time.
According to the Indonesian Soccer Association (PSSI), they arrived at Malaysia`s Subang Airport at 12.30 PM and stayed at the Palace of Golden Horses Hotel.
Before going to the MSN Field for their first light training, the Indonesian team would attend in technical meeting at Bukit Jalil National Stadium followed by a press conference.
PSSI President Nurdin Halid said earlier that all the players and coaches left for Kuala Lumpur by a privately-owned aircraft to get rid of tiredness.
If they flew by a commercial aircraft, they were afraid of becoming too tired of by waiting too long at the airport`s terminal, he said.
The Indonesian and Malaysian soccer teams would meet in the first leg of AFF Suzuki Cup`s final in Kuala Lumpur on December 26. The second leg would be held in Jakarta on December 29.
A day before leaving for Kuala Lumpur, Assyiddiqiyah Islamic Boarding School in Jakarta held a prayer for the success of the Indonesian team against Malayaia.
The "Red and White" team met Malaysia in the AFF Suzuki Cup`s final after beating the Philippines team in two legs of semifinal, while Malaysia beat the Vietnamese team.
Indonesia`s victory against the Philippines team in the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup`s semifinal last Sunday evening had revived the nation`s pride.
The victory did not only paved the way for the national soccer team to get a final match ticket but also a momentum for every Indonesian to appreciate their country, Abdi Tunggal, a soccer enthusiast, said.
"This victory has enabled us to forget our problem as a nation for a moment. I think the victory has revived the spirit of nationalism due to our players` heroic struggle," he said.
In meeting with Malaysia, Indonesian soccer team`s striker Christian Gonzales said he was ready to score goals in the final match of the AFF Suzuki Cup on December 26 and 29.
"I am always ready if my coach picked me," he told newsmen after playing in the second leg of the AFF Suzuki Cup`s semifinal.
The only goal that secured Indonesia`s victory was made by Gonzales, naturalized Indonesian citizen married to an Indonesian of Bataknese descent.
In the first leg, Indonesia also defeated the Philippines with one goal also scored by Gonzales who`s native country is Uruguay.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono who watched the semifinal match at Bung Karno soccer stadium urged the Indonesian players to focus on their final match with Malaysia.
"Don`t be inattentive. Keep concentrating on the final match with Malaysia," he said.
The head of state called on the entire nation to pray for the national team`s success in the two legs of the final match.
President Yudhoyono said the government promised the national team members a well-deserved token of appreciation.
(Uu.R013/H-NG/O001/P003)
