Western Australia’s first overseas football fixture in four years ended in disappointment as Robbie Dunn’s charges courageously went down 2-0 to East Java’s Under 23’s.

In stifling humidity and on a pitch hardly conducive to the possession game that was so evident in their 3-2 victory over the Perth Glory, the score-line did not reflect fairly on their performance. The second goal being conceded as late as the 90th minute, and by a player who appeared to many in the ground to be offside. It followed a good run by substitute Ariawan who when confronted with goalkeeper Neil Young slipped the ball to Jaya Teguh who tapped in from five metres.

Just thirty seconds earlier Paul Harvey had the best chance for WA when he narrowly failed to connect with a telling cross behind the Indonesian defence from Captain Andy Brown.

The Western Australians battled hard against a side that was used to the heat and who as the game wore on reaped the rewards of making as many as six substitutions, and ultimately had superior pace.

In the first half the Western Australians matched the Javanese. East Java’s first chance came from the lively Rendi Irwan who beat the offside trap and raced in on goal with only Young to beat, but the big keeper stayed tall and beat his shot away. WA’s best chance came in the 38th minute when after good interplay between Johny Mirco and Scott Bulloch, Ian Mc Murray was presented with an opening, but he hit his shot straight at the ‘keeper Heri.

The Indonesians made four substations at the start of the second half and it paid dividends in the 58th minute when Dede Hugo curled a free kick from the left up and over the wall and into Neil Young’s top left hand corner. It was a sublime free kick and it had to be as it was always going to take something special to beat Young who was at his commanding best.

The defence continued to hold firm with Johnny Migas and Keith Brown solid in the centre and Bright making some telling interceptions, while young Dean Evans defended stoically and continued to look for opportunities to attack.

The midfield of Andy Brown and Marc Anthony worked tirelessly trying to stem and create attacks, and the introduction of  Tommy Amphlett caused the Javanese defence problems. But it was not to be WA’s night as they saw the inaugural Friendship Cup slip from their grasp in the very last minute.          
 
Coach Robbie Dunn said “Obviously it was very disappointing to lose, but I am sure that the boys will learn from the experience. Tonight we only started to play the way I knew we could after we conceded, and in the heat it was always going to make it difficult to get back in the game.”