WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2015 SPORTS Indonesian women in bid to revive soccer game JAKARTA: With an Islamic headscarf mism in Indonesia, with officials saying ing the women’s game. Indonesia was supportive.” There is also evidence tradi- nightmare as the best players often tucked into her football top, 16-year-old that the women’s game is growing in hit with sanctions for ousting the tional attitudes are softening and rela- need to be flown thousands of miles Fatwa Nurjannah kicked the ball enthu- popularity, and there are hopes it could domestic football association, but tives growing more supportive. from around the country to Jakarta. siastically around the pitch at a training eventually return to its glory days when authorities argue the move clears the Nurjannah’s father cheered her on While the government has down- session in the Indonesian capital Jakarta. the country challenged Asia’s top teams. way for reform as the association was from the sidelines during the recent ses- played the FIFA ban, it does mean “People tell me since I’m a girl and I Since that era in the 1960s and ‘70s, responsible for many of the sport’s prob- sion in Jakarta and has been taking her Indonesia’s women are unlikely to get a wear the headscarf, I’m better off at a Indonesian football has repeatedly been lems. “The government is serious and to practise every week. chance to compete on the world stage religious school. No way,” she told AFP, as hit by corruption and mismanagement, this gives us good momentum,” said She is not currently playing in any for some time, even if they do improve. she took part in the all-female practice dragging down both the men’s and sports ministry official Djoko Pekik team but is taking part in the academy’s And their recent return to interna- at a football academy. women’s teams. Irianto, when asked about the ban. He female-only training sessions-still a rari- tional football was hardly triumphant. At Nurjannah is among a new genera- But Indonesia last year revived a top- added that authorities hoped to have a ty in a country where women often find the AFF tournament in Vietnam, tion of players hoping to revive the level tournament for women, which pro- women’s league, which currently does themselves having to join in with men’s Indonesia crashed out in the first round women’s game in Indonesia, a tough duced a national team that was sent to not exist, up and running once they had training. And there is no shortage of tal- after losing all three of its matches, challenge in a conservative, Muslim- the AFF Women’s Championship last completed a management reorganisa- ent in the world’s fourth most-populous including a 10-1 defeat inflicted by majority country where football is typi- month, the first Indonesian side to play tion in a year. country, which has a population of 250 Thailand. cally the preserve of men. To compound in the regional tournament since 2011. Supporters of reviving the female million people. While attitudes are changing as problems, the country has just been hit Some have voiced fears that FIFA’s game point to an increasing number of Some of the best female footballers Indonesians become wealthier and bet- with a FIFA ban, which means Indonesia weekend decision to suspend Indonesia confident, young women from the coun- come from remote and rugged Papua, ter educated, many in the conservative cannot compete in world football. over government meddling in the try’s rapidly emerging middle-class who the country’s easternmost region, where country are still against the idea of Top teams are gearing up for the domestic league could damage efforts. are ready to challenge traditional values. much of the population-who come from women’s football. Women’s World Cup which starts in Not only are all Indonesian teams “I cried when my older brother told a different ethnic group to those on the “There is potential and interest but Canada this week, but it is a rather differ- banned from international competition, me not to play football. He said it’s not main island of Java-are naturally fit and the handicap for women’s football in ent picture in Indonesia, where the but authorities can no longer draw on proper and I should just stay in the athletically built. Indonesia is the culture and values,” said women’s team stood no hope of qualify- FIFA funds to develop women’s football. kitchen to cook,” national team player The challenges nevertheless remain Tommy Welly, a senior official from the ing as it did not even have a FIFA rank- However the government insisted that Tugiati Jawa, 29, told AFP. huge. Indonesia’s size has as many dis- Indonesian football association. “People ing due to be being inactive for so long. the ban presents an opportunity for a “But now that I am making a living advantages as advantages, with organis- think football is not a sport for Nevertheless there is renewed opti- “complete overhaul” of football, includ- out of something I love, he has been ing national tournaments a logistical women.”—AFP US eye German scalp BERLIN: The USA are out to claim another stand we come to meet these opponents major European scalp in today’s friendly eye to eye. against world champions Germany when The USA team are missing forwards Clint the Stars and Stripes’ head coach Jurgen Dempsey and Jozy Altidore, plus midfielder Klinsmann faces his old team. Alejandro Bedoya and defenders Geoff An inexperienced USA side stunned the Cameron, Omar Gonzalez and Matt Besler. Netherlands with a dramatic 4-3 victory in “Obviously it’s a bit tricky when we are Amsterdam last Friday with two goals in without some of our core players, but that the final minutes. creates a huge opportunity for the guys Next up are Germany in Cologne with here to benchmark themselves against Joachim Loew’s side resting many of his some of the best players in the world,” stars who won the World Cup in what is a added Klinsmann. warm-up for Saturday’s Euro 2016 qualifier Loew has included the likes of midfield against Gibraltar in Faro, Portugal. star and captain Bastian Schweinsteiger, The USA begin their defence of the Gold plus Mario Goetze, who scored the winner Cup next month as they take on Honduras, in the Brazil 2014 final. Haiti and Panama in Group A, but beating Germany beat the USA 1-0 in their World Germany after downing the Dutch would Cup group stage match in Brazil last year as be a significant boost. Loew’s side avenged their shock 4-3 friend- Klinsmann described the Dutch win as a ly defeat to Klinsmann’s USA in Washington “huge learning curve” for his inexperienced in 2013. side to know they could “play at that tem- “Playing against Jurgen Klinsmann, is po” against high-profile opponents and always something special for us,” said they have nothing to lose against Germany. Germany manager Oliver Bierhoff. “We “I just expect it to be fun to play against the want to play attractive football against the world champions. Who else do you want?” Americans in a great atmosphere. said Klinsmann, who coached Germany to “I’m pleased to see Jurgen again, third place at the 2006 World Cup they because had a big influence on the current hosted with Loew as his assistant. team.” Loew will be without Borussia “Obviously it’s my home country too Dortmund’s Mats Hummels and Bayern and my former assistant coach took them Munich’s Jerome Boateng against the USA to the World Cup title. So it’s going to be a as Hummels is injured, while Boateng will special day. only be available for the Gibraltar qualifier. “Playing against top teams like Germany Borussia Moenchengladbach winger and the Netherlands provides valuable Patrick Herrmann is set to make his debut experience, especially for the younger play- while Loew has included 13 of his squad VANCOUVER: Ecuador’s Nancy Aguilar (left) and Cameroon’s Gaelle Enganamouit collide during the first half of a FIFA Women’s World Cup soc- ers here. “More and more, they must under- which won the World Cup. —AFP cer match. —AP Juve snap up Khedira Americans light up MILAN: Real Madrid’s German international His arrival has also given Juve, who won midfielder Sami Khedira signed for defeat- their first league and Cup double in 20 ed Champions League finalists Juventus on years last season, cover in the event that Tuesday, the Italian club announced. Chilean international Arturo Vidal is lured Women’s World Cup The 28-year-old joins the Italian champi- away from the club. Vidal, who is currently ons for free on a four-year contract which on duty at the Copa America, has been expires on June 30, 2019. The Stuttgart- linked with a move to Real Madrid. WINNIPEG: Megan Rapinoe scored sion,” Rapinoe said. “A much slower ver- born Khedira had been at Real Madrid since The statement added: “Khedira, who is twice and the United States overcame sion.”But De Vanna equalized midway the summer of 2010, and has achieved suc- normally deployed in front of the defence early defensive shakiness to beat through the half when she slotted the cess in La Liga, the Copa del Rey (twice), as a ball-winning midfielder, is able to cov- Australia 3-1 on Monday in their open- ball inside the near post for her 36th the Spanish Super Cup, the UEFA Super er a lot of ground while also possessing ing game at the Women’s World Cup.