Indonesia's Under-23 soccer squad is ready for its first Southeast Asian Games match against Cambodia in Group A on Dec. 2

Coach Kolev says soccer team ready to roll
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Bangkok

Indonesia's Under-23 soccer squad is ready for its first Southeast
Asian Games match against Cambodia in Group A on Dec. 2, coach Ivan
Venkov Kolev of Bulgaria said Wednesday.

"Our players are fit and ready to compete. They just need some light
exercise to maintain their physical conditions," he said on the
sidelines of a practice session at Sukhon Thasawat soccer field.

The 20-strong squad arrived in Thailand late Monday after several days
of training in Kuala Lumpur. The team moved to Nakhon Ratchasima on
Thursday -- the venue for the soccer competition.

Kolev hinted he would keep the offensive 4-3-3 formation -- the same
used by the national team during the Asian Cup tournament in July.

"I deem it (the formation) as the best, given the characteristics of
our players," he said.

Captained by Eka Ramdani, the team will rely on a trio of strikers:
Airlangga Sucipto, Ian Kabes and Cornelius Geddy.

"With only two months of preparation, our team is not an excellent
one. But I am confident we can win," said the 50-year-old, who
originally targeted to bring the national team to win the biannual
event.

In the team's final preparation match earlier this month, it was
humiliated in a 7-0 loss against Syria at the away match of the pre-
qualifying round of the 2010 World Cup in Damascus.

Defender Ricardo Salempessy said Kolev had focussed on the team's
fighting spirit ahead of the game.

"So far, we have yet to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of our
rivals, or our strategy to defeat them," he said.

After facing Cambodia, Indonesia will play Myanmar on Dec. 4 and host
Thailand on Dec. 7.
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