Indonesia cheer on East Asia
Indonesia hopes for Asian Cup final between Japan and Korea.
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| The crowds in Jakarta have been the success story of the Asian Cup [AFP] |
Host Indonesia wants to see South Korea and Japan contest the final of the Asian Cup, believing that is the match up which will best fill the Gelora Bung Karno stadium.
Tournament organiser Nugraha Besoes said he expected Korean and Japanese factory owners in Indonesia to snap up tickets for their workers if the sides win their semifinal matches on Wednesday and progress to Sunday’s final.
“Among the Asian nations, Japan and Korea are the most crazy about soccer,” Besoes said.
“I am sure they would bring out the masses.”
In Wednesday’s semifinals, South Korea plays Iraq at Kuala Lumpur and Japan is up against Saudi Arabia in Hanoi.
Both of the East Asian nations are seen as favorites to win.
Attendances have been largely disappointing at this year’s Asian cup.
The cheapest tickets for the final are being advertised at just over $5, almost twice Indonesia’s minimum daily wage.
Gelora Bung Karno stadium, built in the 1960s, seats 88,000 people, making it one of Asia’s biggest arenas.
It has been full for the Indonesian games, but last week’s quarterfinal between Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan attracted only around 10,000 people.