N.Z. jubilant after stunning win

Press, 13 May 1981, Page 44

N.Z. jubilant after stunning win

NZPA Jakarta “Watch out Australia, here we come,” was the call from the New Zealand soccer team yesterday in the aftermath of its stunning 2-0 win against Indonesia.

The victory, vital in the context of New Zealand’s World Cup qualification hopes, meant that the desire of the coach, John Adshead, to carry six points into Saturday’s return clash with Australia in Sydney had been fulfilled. And, equally significantly, the win further enhanced the New r Zealanders’ belief in their own ability — a belief which Mr Adshead has tried to instil in the side from the start, but which was shaken by last Tuesday’s draw with Taiwan. The manner of the win in the high humidity of the Senayan stadium, against a side'which combined speed with a high skill level, was a firm warning to the Australian camp. Mr Adshead described the game as “a coach’s dream.” “It was as if there was a walkie-talkie from the bench to the players so closely did they follow the tactics decided for the game,” he said yesterday. The New Zealanders showed discipline and composure as the Indonesians came at them in the highpaced first half. An hour before the match, they had gazed in awe at the impressive stadium and the noisy reception of a crowd already 60,000 strong and to grow to a size of about 95,000. Playing in this sort of atmosphere — a spectacle which many of the New Zealanders will probably only experience again if they do qualify for the World Cup finals — proved no problem once the match was in progress. They had a narrow escape in the fifteenth minute when a magical overhead kick by Bambang Nurdiansyah hit the crossbar, but they stunned the crowd three minutes later with their first goal. The striker, Steve Wooddin, whose high work rate

was a big factor in the win, gained a penalty on the left flank and his cross was superbly glanced into the net by Brian Turner. The second goal was a tribute to the running of Grant Turner who had been sorely missed in the Taiwanese game. Mr Adshead decided to push Turner forward in a final five minute burst before substituting him. The Gisborne City midfielder magnificently followed instructions by fastening on to a long clearance by the New Zealand goalkeeper, Richard Wilson, and nodding it past a stranded Indonesian goalkeeper. This goal, in the seventyseventh minute, punished the Indonesian defenders for a haphazard use of the off-side trap in the second half. As they pushed forward seeking the equaliser, they had earlier been fortunate to escape with their goal intact from break-outs, often spearheaded by the speed of the left back, Glen Dods. The New Zealanders were well aware of the toll which the high humidity could take of their reserves, but they still went through a dangerous period of being sucked into the frantic pace of the Indonesian game late in the first half. Gaps began to appear in the New Zealand defence as defenders struggled to regain their positions after joining attacks. This danger was plugged after the break, the Kiwis closing their game right up and giving the Indonesians less scoring chances than in the first half. The New Zealand defence, which looked so fragile, especially in the air, in the 3-all draw with Australia, has now gone three games without conceding a goal. The Indonesian strikers, for all their speed and skills, generally found themselves shooting from outside the New Zealand penalty area

and Wilson had little cause for concern.

Outstanding in the defence for his work rate was John Hill, who effectively eliminated doubts about his ability to match the pace of his Indonesian opponents. The Indonesian camp was covered in gloom after the match. The joint coach, Harry Tjong, would say only: "Our'side showed a lack of teamwork. They were just not the side they usually are.”

The New Zealanders left Jakarta last night on an overnight flight to Sydney hoping that the Indonesians would perform more to their true abilities in home matches against the other nations in the Oceania qualifying zone.