Project Squad gain experience

11/01/2003

MALAYSIA PS 1 INDIA 4
Fazreen Ehasan 70th Vinay 32nd,
Tushar Khandekar 40th,
Gurucharn Singh 50th,
Jatinder Pal Singh 30th
SOUTH KOREA 0 PAKISTAN 5
Naeem Akhbar 13th,
Mahmood Ali 50th, 51st,
Mohamed Imran 65th,
Tariq Aziz 67th
THE Malaysia Project Squad ended their Under-19 Four-Nation Invitational
by getting a 4-1 lesson from India at the National Hockey Stadium last
night.
The Project Squad, made up mainly of Under-16 players, scored a total of
two goals in the four matches and conceeded 14 goals - not too bad
considering they were up against some of the best juniors in Asia.
Yesterday, the Project Squad defended well but a silly backpass in the
33rd minute was punished with a Vinay field goal.
That goal broke their back, and it was easy for India to pile up the
pressure and score three more. Tushar Khandekar (40th), Gurucharn Singh
(50th) and Jatinder Pal Singh sounded the board before Fazreen Ehsan
scored for Project Squad in the 70th minute.
Team manager Kon Chen Choong was happy with the way his boys stood up to
the physically better players in the Four-Nation.
"We entered the Project Squad in this tournament so that they will get a
feel of playing at the international level, something that is a luxury
when you are in a transition period," said Kon.
Some of the boys will be `too old' for the Under-16 squad and `too
young' to be drafted into the Under-19 squad - a problem that must be
addressed by MHF if they do not want to lose talent.
"The next International tournament for the Asian Under-16 is in March in
Bangladesh, but by then, half the present batch would have turned 17.
"They will also be too young to be drafted into the Under-19 squad, and
we might lose them if nothing is done soon," said Kon.
The only solution is for MHF to form a squad for those in the 17 to 18
age bracket.
Meanwhile, in the Korea-Pakistan match which ended 5-0, Pakistan
delivered the first killer blow in the 13th minute off a Naeem Akhbar
goal. The other goals were scored by Mahmood Ali (50th, 51st), Mohamed
Imran (65th), Tariq Aziz (67th).
Today: REST DAY; Tomorrow - Third-fourth: South Korea v Pakistan (3pm);
Final: Malaysia v India (5.30pm).
(END)