Tag: closer

Indonesia ‘closer to dream’ of Fifa World Cup after beating PH

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Indonesia’s players sing their national anthem before start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualification football match between Indonesia and Philippines at Gelora Bung Karno stadium in Jakarta on June 11, 2024. (Photo by Bay ISMOYO / AFP)

Indonesian fans and leaders hailed their football team after they booked a place in the third round of the Fifa World Cup qualifiers for the first time after beating the Philippines on Tuesday.

The Indonesian team has only been represented once at a World Cup, in 1938, when it was still under colonial rule and known as the Dutch East Indies.

“Whan an incredible win! With this feat, we are getting closer to our dream to play at the World Cup,” President Joko Widodo wrote on social media platform Instagram after the 2-0 win in capital Jakarta, where he was in attendance.

READ: Philippines crashes out of Fifa World Cup Qualifiers

“Keep fighting Garuda National Team!”

Indonesia joined Iraq in advancing out of Group F, with Thom Haye and Rizky Ridho the goal-scoring heroes in front of a raucous crowd of 64,000.

It means Indonesia is the only Southeast Asian nation with a chance of World Cup qualification.

“It was a very important match. We knew what we had to do. I’m very happy I could contribute to that,” said Haye, a 29-year-old midfielder who plays in the Dutch top flight for Heerenveen, after scoring his first international goal.

“I think we deserved the win today. It’s a really special night.”

 ‘Struggle not over’

Indonesia Fifa World Cup qualifiers Philippines

Indonesian fans cheer during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualification football match between Indonesia and Philippines at Gelora Bung Karno stadium in Jakarta on June 11, 2024. (Photo by Bay ISMOYO / AFP)

Indonesian coach Shin Tae-yong has called on a policy of using naturalised players — footballers with Indonesian heritage like Haye who was born in the Netherlands — to boost the team’s success.

It has seen the Red and White’s FIFA ranking rise eight places to 134th in the world, the biggest jump in the global body’s last update in April.

“Because of the players’ hard work on the field, we managed to create a new history and we finally got through to the third round of the World Cup qualification,” Shin told reporters.

Fans took to social media to celebrate the win but also to express hope for a berth in the tournament that will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

“Thank God, we are still carrying on with our dream of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, the struggle is not over, keep the spirit of Garuda!” wrote one X user, referring to Indonesia’s national symbol.

The third round will see 18 teams — including top Asian seeds Japan, South Korea and Iran — vie for six automatic World Cup spots across three groups, while two more spots will be up for grabs in the fourth round.

The win means Indonesia also booked its place in the AFC Asian Cup finals, to be hosted by Saudi Arabia in 2027.

“I think it’s really important that we believe we can achieve these results, and everything starts with the belief first. In the next round, we want to show who we are,” said Haye.

“It doesn’t stop here.”

Celtics land biggest punches again to move closer to title

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Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, top left, looks on as Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, bottom, is fouled by Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving, center, during the first half in Game 3 of the NBA basketball finals, Wednesday, June 12, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

SCHEDULE: NBA Finals 2024 Boston Celtics vs Dallas Mavericks

DALLAS — Joe Mazzulla is a big fan of UFC matches and splices highlights of fights into some of the basketball video he shows the Boston Celtics.

He doesn’t do it for entertainment purposes or to make players laugh. He does it for a simple reason. He wants the Celtics to have a fighters’ mentality.

“If you’ve ever been in a fight with someone and you think you’re about to beat ’em, you usually get sucker-punched,” said Mazzulla, the second-year Celtics coach. “The closer you are to beating them up, the closer you are to losing.”

Translation: He wanted the Celtics ready for a fight. And in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, they were.

A pair of big runs — 23-8 in the first half, 20-5 in the second half — represented what became the knockout blows in this game, and maybe this series. Boston frittered away almost all of what was a 21-point lead before winning 106-99 to take a 3-0 lead in the NBA Finals, moving one win away from what would be their record-setting 18th championship.

READ: Celtics hold off Mavericks for commanding 3-0 NBA Finals lead

“Our guys have a great basketball IQ and have a great understanding of are we playing the right way, taking the right shots and giving up the right shot.” Mazzulla said. “They know exactly when we are not doing that. So, they have an innate ability to control the runs of the game with the philosophy that we have.”

As is often the case with fights, the judges — in this case, the referees — had a big decision to make and it wasn’t one that was popular. Luka Doncic fouled out with 4:12 remaining, a call that held up under review despite Dallas’ arguments that Jaylen Brown initiated the contact on that play, and the Mavs were without their best puncher in what amounted to the 12th round of this fight.

“We couldn’t play physical,” Doncic said. “I don’t know. I don’t want to say nothing. … C’mon, man.”

Doncic fouled out with the Mavericks having gotten within three; there was no miracle finish. Boston did enough to hang on, and now a championship could be in its hands as early as Friday night when the teams meet in Game 4.

And the big punch — sometimes early, sometimes not — has been a theme for Boston throughout this series. Dallas ran out to a 25-12 lead early Wednesday; that lead was basically gone by the end of the first quarter.

“We expected their first punch,” Celtics forward Jayson Tatum said.

Control of Game 1 was seized early with a 23-5 run by the Celtics. In Game 2, a 15-4 run in the second half proved to basically be the difference. In Game 3, there were the two big spurts. Mazzulla warned the Celtics that any spell where focus is lost could cost them games. Clearly, they’ve listened.

“Closer you think you’re going to submit someone, is usually when you get submitted,” Mazzulla said.

There’s no championship belt, like the ones fighters get, coming when this series is over. But the trophy is within sight now.

“We’ve got to keep fighting,” Tatum said. “We can’t relax.”