Go for the goals, boys!

04/03/2002

THAT Malaysia will collect three points from Cuba tonight is almost a
certainty. What is uncertain is the margin of victory, which could help
the hosts if fate is on their side.
Cuba, playing in their first World Cup by virtue of being the Pan-
American champions, have conceded 27 goals in five matches and scored just
three.
So tonight, to keep the mathematical chance of making the semi-finals
alive, Paul Lissek's men must go for the numbers and hope that providence
will shone on them and knock South Korea out.
For, if Malaysia can pile up the goals, and should Korea who have two
difficult matches in hand against Australia and England, fall, the path
will re-open for the hosts.
After scraping past England on Saturday, Lissek said the possibility of
playing in the semifinals is still within sight and he will plot
accordingly.
"Anything can happen in the World Cup after we beat England. Malaysia
has made Group B more exciting and now we must score as many goals against
Cuba and Poland and wait for the other matches to decide our fate," said
Lissek.
Before the World Cup Lissek said, at best, the national team can finish
10th. So after Malaysia beat England, he was asked about his new target.
"I am a man of small steps, and right now my target is to beat Cuba with
as many goals as possible," said Lissek.
After that he caused the packed media conference to break into chuckles
when he said: "I do not dare to dream big, because some of them who have
done so, have ended up going home (Indian coach Cedric D'Souza)."
But Lissek was quick to add that Cedric is a good friend of his and he
would like to do something to help him out: "Maybe he can help coach the
Malaysian side, because sacked coaches (Lissek was sacked by the Germans
after the Sydney Olympics) seem to be doing okay here," said Lissek.
The German does not need divine intervention to lead his men into battle
for the fifth-eighth positions, but to make the semis, he will need a
bagful of luck because the Koreans have been in menancing form and the
only team which can trouble them is Australia.
"We know that the last two matches are the most crucial ones for Korea
but we have been preparing for this moment ever since FIH released the
fixtures.
"Tomorrow (today) we will play our toughest match in Group B but I am
confident that my men will keep their winning streak," said a confident
Korean coach Kim Young Kyu.
Yesterday, Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) president Sultan Azlan Shah
joined the team for lunch at the official hotel, Concorde Kuala Lumpur,
and his advice for the team was to put away all the chances that come
their way.
"What happened to you (S. Shanker) when you got that beautiful pass in
the match against England," questioned Azlan Shah.
"And Fairuz (Ramli) you should have put that ball into goal after all
the hard work of beating the three defenders," said Azlan Shah before
joining the team for lunch.
Cuba almost caused the upset of the millennium when they scored two
swift goals to lead South Korea 2-1 in the halftime during the curtain
raiser of the World Cup.
But they have since been `softened' by the other teams and those who
have watched them play went home wondering how they qualified for the
World Cup.
But tonight, Malaysia must put away all their chances because right now,
goals are their only chance of making the semifinals, mathemathically that
is.
Yesterday, the Malaysian team drafted a new member into the squad when
Mirnawan Nawawi handed Sultan Azlan Shan the yellow jersey after lunch.
RESULTS AT A GLANCE
GROUP A
PAKISTAN 2 SPAIN 0
Ali Raza (59th)
Alif Bashir (66th)
GERMANY 1 NETHERLANDS 0
Bjorn Michel (56th)
ARGENTINA 3 NEW ZEALAND 1
Jorge Lombi (3rd) Phillip Burrows (9th)
Matias Vila (30th)
Mario Almada (67th)
SOUTH AFRICA 3 BELGIUM 0
Greg Nicol (29th)
Justin King (56th)
Mike Cullen (70th)
(END)