Now Juniors struggle to get past Chileans

18/10/2001

By Jugjet Singh in Hobart

HOBART: The National Juniors played one of their worst matches in the
Junior World Cup at the Tasmanian Hockey Centre yesterday, but somehow,
were lucky enough to top Group H when the final whistle blew.
After watching them in action for the last five matches, where they drew
three times and lost two, the match against Chile was expected to be the
easiest because the South American side have been the whipping boys of the
Junior World Cup.
But Chile almost had the last laugh in the final 10 minutes of play and
if not for goalkeeper Mohamed Firdaus, the only player who has had a good
game in the World Cup, Chile would have forced Malaysia out of the ninth-
12th classification matches.
Malaysia needed to win by at least two goals to make the ninth-12th
playoffs but they started the match badly and in the entire first half,
only had two penalty corners and scored because Chile did not have good
runners and made things that much easier.
Malaysia will now play New Zealand in the crossover semifinals of the
bottom eight. Malaysia lost 3-2 to New Zealand in the first round as well
as Chua Boon Huat and Jiwa Mohan to yellow cards in the robust match.
In Group G, France beat Canada 3-0 yesterday while New Zealand beat
Ireland 3-1. France topped the group on a single goal difference and New
Zealand finished second.
In the other Group H match, South Africa beat Scotland 3-2 in a penalty
shootout after both sides ended the match 3-3 and were tied with five
points each and their goal difference was also the same. So South Africa
will meet France in the crossover semis.
Malaysia made it through the skin of their teeth because they also had
five points after the win against Chile but had scored one extra goal in
the second round.
Jiwa Mohan scored the first goal in the 30th minute and after that the
entire team started defending in numbers.
In the 35th minute, Malaysia won their second penalty corner and this
time it was Chua who pushed it in.
The second half was heart stopping for the handful of Malaysian fans who
turned up to support the team because Chile looked dangerous and could
have scored if not for Fairuz.
Malaysia increased the lead in the 50th minute off a Mohamed Fairuz
field goal but five minutes later, Chile scored a field goal when Alan
Stein tapped in after Chua and Shanker bumped into each other and fell.
"I don't know what happened today. The boys really played badly and the
pressure was so much that I almost got a heart attack watching them from
the sidelines," said Yahya after the match.
He was especially disappointed with the way the four regulars with the
senior side played in Hobart.
"Shanker, Boon Huat, K. Logan Raj and Jiwa Mohan were expected to guide
the rest of the Juniors because they have the experience of playing in the
senior side and have been on numerous tours around the world. But they
really played badly in Hobart."
So why did he keep fielding the four seniors in all the matches?
"I have no choice, just look at the bench. We have no depth at all." jugjet@nstp.com.my SECOND ROUND RESULTS
GROUP E
GERMANY 3 ENGLAND 2
SOUTH KOREA 5 SPAIN 3
GROUP F
ARGENTINA 2AUSTRALIA 1
INDIA 4HOLLAND 3
LOSER'S POOL
GROUP G
NEW ZEALAND 3 IRELAND 1
FRANCE 3 CANADA 0
GROUP H
MALAYSIA 3 CHILE 1
SOUTH AFRICA 3 SCOTLAND 3
(END)