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Jokowi feels euphoria on pitch after victory over Vietnam
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Moral boost: President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo congratulates Indonesian soccer players after their 2-1 victory over Vietnam in the first leg of the semifinals in the ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup at Pakansari Stadium in Bogor, West Java, on Saturday. (Antara/Widodo S. Jusuf)
P
resident Joko “Jokowi” Widodo became a second center of attention on Saturday evening at Pakansari Stadium in Bogor, West Java, when he went to the pitch to congratulate the Indonesian soccer team for clinching victory in a semifinal match of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup.
The President, who had watched the game from the VVIP tribune, joined the supporters’ euphoria, as he jumped from his seat with a big smile when the home team scored twice to defeat Vietnam in the first leg of the AFF Suzuki Cup semifinals.
After the referee blew the final whistle, Jokowi quickly left his seat to meet the players and congratulate them personally.
In his Twitter account, the President applauded the Indonesian team for both their victory and their hard work.
“This is a very good start,” he said.
(Read also: Indonesia keeps hopes high after 2-1 victory over Vietnam)
The victory is an important moral boost for the “Red and White” team before visiting Hanoi as the away team in the second leg on Wednesday.
Indonesia, which many international pundits saw as an underdog in the AFF Suzuki Cup, started the 11th edition of the biennial competition with some difficulties.
It was sitting at the bottom of Group A after being crushed 2-4 by Thailand and scoring only a 2-2 draw with the Philippines, before redeeming itself by defeating Singapore 2-1 in the final game of the group stage, paving its way to the semifinals.
Indonesia has never won the AFF Cup — a tournament participated in by Southeast Asian nations — having finished runner-up in 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2010. Vietnam won the tournament in 2008.
