MALAYSIA'S mistake against South Korea has placed them in a tight spot, and they must beat Spain today to qualify for the second round of the Junior World Cup.
The Taman Daya Stadium was packed to the brim, with more than 5,000 fans cheering Malaysia when they played against England, South Korea and then the United States.
With no more space at the stands, fans stood five-deep behind the goalmouth, and even spilled onto the road leading towards the stadium. The plus point for this venue is that it is surrounded by many housing estates, and entrance is free.
"I would like to thank all Malaysian fans for their solid backing, and to a certain extent, my boys played better hockey when cheered on by a packed gallery," said Rajan.
"We played Spain in March (in a Four-Nation in Seville) and only lost 2-1. The match was heading towards a draw, but a mistake allowed Spain to score three minutes from time.
"I believe we can upset the Spaniards, what more with backing from our home crowd," said the 21-year-old striker.
He also believes that today's match will determine this team's future, and they will have to bring out their best.
"Tomorrow (today) is really a big day for all of us, as how we play will decide the future of this team. We must win at any cost, and take Malaysian hockey to a new level," said Faizal.
He has scored three of Malaysia's six goals, and will be a marked man today.
"Initially, I was worried about our defence, as I believe our forwards can, and will score against Spain.
"However, after three matches, the defenders have held up well, and we have only conceded four goals. Every member of the team is confident of a good result against Spain, and can't wait for the match to start," said Faizal.
