Aussies too good for Project 2001 boys

06/03/1999

PROJECT 2002 ... 1
WAIS ........... 5
THE Malaysian Project 2001 squad were made to eat humble pie again by the
visiting Western Australian Institute of Sports (WAIS) team at the
National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.
The Australians raced to an easy 5-1 win in a one-sided match.
WAIS coach Mark Hager, an illustrious striker in the early 90s, summed
up the match when he said that his team did not play as well as when they
did in Ipoh on Wednesday. WAIS won 6-3 then.
"In the second half, my boys stopped playing hockey and the Malaysian
team could have fought back, but they missed too many chances," said
Hager.
The Aussies got their act together early and in the sixth minute Aaron
Hopkins hit a thundering shot from the top of the semicircle.
The ball was going out but it hit Mohamed Madzli and ended up in goal.
Goalkeeper Mohamed Khuzmir made a few well calculated saves after that
but poor defending made his job tougher.
K. Keevan Raj, being groomed as a playmaker, was too slow in creating
openings and his reluctance to release the ball early cost the Malaysian
side dearly.
In the 30th minute, Jiwa Mohan stopped the ball on the line but gave
away a penalty corner in the process. Richard Gibson made no mistakes and
hammered home to extend the lead to 2-0.
A penalty flick in the 33rd minute because of stick-check in the
semicircle placed the Aussies in a comfortable position. Steve Sexton
stepped up and beat the goalkeeper who dived in the wrong direction.
Malaysia received their second penalty corner of the match in the 42nd
minute and K. Logan Raj scored off a beautiful setpiece.
But that was as much space as the Aussies allowed the Project 2001
players.
Two quick goals by Murray McIntyre (64th) and Matthew Montgomery (68th)
made the 100-odd crowd at the National Hockey Stadium return home
wondering what was wrong with the team.
The Project 2001 team do not have a shape yet. However, the Junior World
Cup qualifiers are in the middle of next year and there is still time to
work on the team.
Junior World Cup champions Australia, as revealed by Hager, will only
start forming a team at the end of the year.
Australia seem to find Malaysia a good hunting ground because after the
WAIS team return, the Australian Institute of Sports (AIS) side will be
down to play six friendlies with the national team on March 12-18 at the
National Hockey Stadium.
Canada will arrive on March 25 while New Zealand have booked March 30
for a friendly.
Today: Project 2001 v WAIS (National Hockey Stadium, 5:30pm).
(END)