Indonesia accepts FIFA ban on national coach

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) -Indonesia coach Aji Santoso has been banned for four games and fined by FIFA for accusing match officials of taking bribes during a 10-0 loss to Bahrain in World Cup qualifying.
The Indonesian Football Association and Santoso said on Wednesday they accepted the punishments but didn't rule out an appeal. Santoso, now coaching the national under-23 side, was fined $6,530.
Santoso was red-carded by Lebanese referee Andre Al Haddad in the 75th minute of February's match in Manama following allegations he accused Al Haddad of being bribed.
FIFA said Santoso told the officials "(there is) money involved (here).''
In the second minute, Al Haddad sent off Indonesia's goalkeeper and awarded four penalties to Bahrain, which needed to make up a nine-goal deficit on Qatar to have a chance of advancing to the next round. However, Qatar drew 2-2 with Iran, and those two advanced.
FIFA called the outcome "unusual'' and launched an investigation.
Indonesia was warned by FIFA before the match to send its strongest team, but an inexperienced team was selected after Indonesia suspended players from clubs in the breakaway Indonesian Super League.
Edi Ellison, the spokesman for the Indonesian association, said they will wait to decide on an appeal after the result of FIFA's probe.
Because of the loss to Bahrain and the breakaway league, the government was planning to cut funding to the association.


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Football: Malaysia to host Manchester City in July

MALAYSIA - English Premier League title contenders Manchester City will play a friendly match against a Malaysia XI in Kuala Lumpur in July, promoters of the event said on Wednesday.

It will be City's first fixture in Malaysia when they play at the 90,000 capacity Bukit Jalil Stadium on July 30.

"We are very honoured to be hosting Manchester City, as we are the only Southeast Asian country given this opportunity,"Football Association of Malaysia deputy president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah said in a statement.

The big-spending side are the second English team to commit to a fixture in Malaysia after Arsenal announced plans earlier this month.

A third Premier League team is widely expected to also play in Kuala Lumpur, where Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool drew 80,000 attendances for fixtures against a Malaysia XI last year.

FA Cup holders Manchester City and Arsenal will also play against each other at Beijing's Bird's Nest stadium on July 27, the same day as the Olympic Games opening ceremony in London.

The tour is the first in Asia by City, who played pre-season fixtures in the United States last year, since Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan bought the club and ploughed in millions to transform their fortunes.

While this season they have showed they are capable of challenging neighbours Manchester United on the field they will struggle to match the support their rivals command in Malaysia and Southeast Asia, where the Premier League champions and Liverpool dominate.

AFF FUTSAL: Thailand blast Malaysia to be in Final

Thailand blast Malaysia 12:1 to be in Final of AFF futsal

http://www.aseanfootball.org/?p=8289