`Different' Malaysia down AIS

14/03/1999

CONFIDENCE made all the difference at the National Hockey Stadium
yesterday when Malaysia scored two early goals against the Australian
Institute of Sport (AIS) side, which was enough to give them the win in
the rain-shortened match.
Except for M. Kaliswaran, K. Gobinathan and goalkeeper Roslan
Jamaluddin, there were no other changes to the lineup which went crashing
5-0 in the first friendly.
The match was called off 10 minutes into the second half because of
threatening conditions, but it was all Malaysia before that.
Coach Stephen van Huizen agreed that confidence and commitment won the
match.
"Everything went well because they stuck to the gameplan which was hard
tackling and quick passes. In the first 20 minutes, the Australians were
hardly in the match. Maybe acclimatisation was a problem for them today
(yesterday) but even so, the national side showed what they are capable of
with a little push in the right direction," said van Huizen.
Nor Azlan Bakar and Chua Boon Huat were sturdy in defence which was
strengthened by Commonwealth Games keeper Roslan.
Malaysia won their first penalty corner in the seventh minute and S.
Kuhan flicked home a sweet goal.
The Aussies were pinned in their own half after that and a string of
attacks by Kaliswaran, Gobinathan and Suhaimi Ibrahim won them the second
penalty corner in the 11th minute.
Kuhan initiated a setpiece which saw Suhaimi deflect in for the second
goal.
AIS: Mark Hickman, Zain Wright, Eddie O'Brien, Bevan George, Gavis
Davis, Travis Brooks, Craig Victory, Ben Taylor, Jamie Dwyer, Jeremy
Hiskins, Jason Duff, Ian Wishart, Michael McCann, Mark Hickman, Tim
Thompson, Robert Hammond.
MALAYSIA: Norazlan Rahim, Chua Boon Huat, Jiwa Mohan, S. Shankar, S.
Kuhan, Nor Azlan Bakar, Chairil Anwar Aziz, Madzli Ikmar, K. Logan Raj,
Suhaimi Ibrahim, K. Gobinathan, K. Keevan Raj, Indra Hadi Jubir, Nasihin
Nubli, Izwan Suhardi, Roslan Jamaluddin.
Malaysia-AIS friendlies - Tomorrow (8.0); March 17 (6.0); March 18
(6.0). - all matches at the National Hockey Stadium.
(END)