Malaysia off to jittery start

11/09/1998

MALAYSIA started their Commonwealth Games hockey campaign with an
impressive 4-0 win over Kenya at the National Hockey Stadium yesterday.
In other matches, Wales downed Trinidad and Tobago 2-0 while South
Africa and New Zealand played to a 3-3 draw. The defeat has put Kenya out
of contention for a semifinal berth. They lost 5-4 to Pakistan.
The winning margin may seem easy for Malaysia. It wasn't the case
because Malaysia were made to fight for the goals.
Kenya, as they showed against Pakistan, were tough opponents. They
displayed the same aggression, speed and fighting spirit yesterday but
Malaysia were not intimidated by the better-built Kenyans.
The Malaysians, however, were better organised and took the game to the
East Africans.
The normally goal-shy R. Shankar, who was switched from centrehalf to
sweeper by coach Paul Lissek, put Malaysia in the lead in the fourth
minute. He scored another in the 57th. Chairil Anwar Azizi, playing in his
first international in more than two months, was on target in the 22nd
while flick specialist S. Kuhan made no mistake from the spot in the 60th
to seal the match.
There were more possesion and control of the game by the Malaysians
yesterday than in the friendly against South Africa three days ago. They
only disapppointment was that they did not score a field goal.
Malaysia were on the offensive from the whistle and their efforts paid
off in the fourth minute when Shankar knocked in a pass from Kuhan of
their second penalty corner.
Malaysia missed a few open chances against the run of play but earned
their third penalty corner. Again from a setpiece, Kuhan this time passed
the ball to the right where Chairil deflected over goalkeeper Jotham Omany
to make it 2-0.
From Malaysia's seventh penalty corner, a Kenyan defender blocked the
goal-bound ball with his body and the umpire pointed to the spot.
Kuhan made it count. Lissek, while happy with the score, was not pleased
with the performance.
Lissek said the players, including the seniors were still nervous.
MALAYSIA: Roslan Jamaluddin, Maninderjit Singh, S. Kuhan, Nor Azlan
Bakar, Chairil Anwar Aziz, R. Shankar, Suhaimi Ibrahim, M. Kaliswaran, K.
Keevan Raj, Mirnawan Nawawi, Calvin Fernandez, Chua Boon Huat, K. Logan
Raj, Lam Mun Fatt, M. Kaliswaran, Nasihin Nubli.
KENYA: Jotham Omany, Joel Senge, Kenneth Kaunda, John Okoth, Nicholas
Ngaira, Donald Odendo, Inderjit Singh, Eric Odingo, Raymond Ochola, Brian
Onyango, Simon Odera, Gurbinder Singh, Charles Wambura, George Osewe,
Moses Aura, Aja Dinesh Kumar.
(END)