Malaysia A Total Flop

TENSED MALAYSIANS: (From Left) goalkeepers coach Shahid Ali Khan, juniors coach V. Muraleedharan and Malaysian Hockey Federation assistant secretary N. Krishnan in Hyderabad, India. -- Pic: Stick2Hockey.com

JAPAN comfortably beat Malaysia 3-1 to reach the semi-finals of the Junior Asia Cup in Hyderabad, India yesterday.

Malaysia took a 14th minute lead when Marhan Jalil scored a field goal, but allowed Japan to equalise in the 28th minute, and then take the lead a minute from the half-time hooter.

And Japan sealed their semis ticket in the 60th minute, after Malaysia went for broke in the second half, as they needed an outright win to shut Japan out of the semis.

“We had the match in our hands, but lost out in the last 15 minutes on physical and fitness. The team played to instructions and waited patiently for counters and that gave us an early lead.

“But two mistakes, the first on marking and the second by our penalty corner runner gave Japan a life-line.

“And in the second half, we went forward looking for goals, but Japan increased the lead instead,” said national juniors coach V. Muraleedharan.

The Junior Asia Cup offers three tickets to the 2009 Junior World Cup, where Malaysia and Singapore have qualified by virtue of being co-hosts.

Japan will play South Korea, while India meet Pakistan in the semi-finals tomorrow (Wednesday).

STANDINGS
GROUP A

P W D L F A Pts

India 3 3 0 0 11 1 9

Japan 3 2 0 1 12 4 6

Malaysia 3 0 1 2 4 8 1

Singapore 3 0 1 2 3 17 1

GROUP B
P W D L F A Pts

S Korea 3 2 1 0 22 3 7

Pakistan 3 2 1 0 16 6 7

Bangladesh 3 1 0 2 9 17 3

Oman 3 0 0 3 2 23 0

RESULTS: Group A -- Japan 3 Malaysia 1, India 6 Singapore 0; Group B: Pakistan 8 Bangladesh 2, South Korea 11 Oman 0.

7th Royal Selangor Club Nines

THE Seventh Royal Selangor Club Hockey Nines will be held on July 18-20 at the RSC Bukit Kiara Grounds in Kuala Lumpur.
The first day will see Under-12 action, where 16 boys’ and eight girls’ teams have registered. The weekend action will be among 24 men’s and six women’s teams.
“We have received tremendous response in the Under-12 category, and this augurs well for future development of the sport.
“And with the RSC celebrating its 125th anniversary next year, the next edition will be held in an even grander scale,” said tournament organising chairman Oommen Koshy.
Foreign teams from Hong Kong, India, Singapore and Indonesia have also registered for the event. On the local front, former internationals will represent the RSC while a number of current internationals will turn out with their clubs Ernst & Young and Sapura.