SBY Highly Appreciates "Garuda" Squad's Struggle

SBY PRESIDENCY

Despite Indonesia’s failure to grab the AFF Suzuki Cup’s championship title, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono highly appreciated the Garuda (eagle) squad’s spectacular struggle in the second leg of the cup’s final match here Wednesday evening.

The "Red and White" soccer players won the second legs by scoring 2-1 but the Malaysian team still managed to grab the championship trophy due to its aggregate 4-2 victory.

In the first leg, the Malayan tiger squad defeated Indonesia with 3-0. President Yudhoyono, who directly watched the final match along with First Lady Ani Yudhoyono and over a hundred thousand Indonesian fans at Gelora Bung Karno stadium, was quoted by his spokesperson, Julian Aldrin Pasha, as saying that the Garuda squad had done its best.

"The head of state does appreciate the spectacular struggle of our national team. He thanks all players and coaches," Julian quoted the president as saying. Despite the Garuda squad’s failure to grab the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup’s championship title, the players’ spectacular struggle won public appreciation, including Vice President Boediono.

Boediono highly appreciated the spectacular struggle of Indonesian soccer team against Malaysia in the final match on TV but good luck did not belong to the Garuda squad. After watching the final match, 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.

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.

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