MALAYSIA kept the fire burning for a fifth place finish in the World League Semi-finals when they beat world No 5 Pakistan 3-1 at the Taman Daya Stadium yesterday.
Now, they will meet Japan in the Fifth-Sixth playoff today, and a win might just see them play in the World Cup after the Continental championships are over.
And skipper Shahrun Nabil answered what was the difference between this win and the 4-4 draw against Pakistan in Group B.
"Then, we played well in the first half and lost concentration in the second, and today (yesterday), we played good hockey for at least 60 minutes," said Shahrun.
Malaysian coach Paul Revington said Japan will not be easy, but he has his plans.
"Obviously we will play for fifth, and I have a plan towards that. The players are in a very happy mood now, but I will have to bring them down a little so that they do not become overconfident in the last crucial match of the tournament," said Revington.
Malaysia were not dangerous, but calculative in their first half approach, as they calmly build their game from behind.
There was no hurry for goals, but they came anyway off the first penalty corner, and then luck sided them with an own goal gift.
Razie Rahim scored his fifth goal of the tournament with a low penalty corner flick in the 14th minute but even before the cheers could die down, Pakistan hit back with the equaliser.
Shafqat Rasool nailed the equaliser with a soft touch in the 16th minute and the game opened up a little.
However, luck rode on Malaysia's back as a 19th minute hit into the semi-circle by Faizal Saari was deflected into goal by Pakistan goalkeeper Imran Butt and Malaysia took the lead into the breather.
Immediately after resumption, Malaysia took the match to the Pakistan half, and another brilliant cross from Faizal in the 38th minute which was tucked in for 3-1 by Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin.
But after taking a two goal lead, Malaysia started to live dangerously again as they allowed Pakistan too much space and the ball hit the post, as well as whizzed out inches wide to the amazement of the Pakistan strikers.
With five minutes left to victory, skipper Shahrun Nabil took a nasty hit to the head and went tumbling down. But he woke up and continued to help Malaysia at the back-line.
In the other Fifth-Eight classification, Japan and South Africa drew 2-2 and went into the shootout. And it produced only one goal, which Kei Kawakami scored to take them into the higher classification.
In regulation time, the Japan goals were scored by Manabu Hatakeyama (33rd) and a 70th minute own goal, while the South African goals were scored by Craig Haley (56th) and Wade Paton (62nd).
RESULTS: Fifth-Eight: South Africa 2 Japan 2 (Japan win shoot-out 1-0); Pakistan 1 Malaysia 3.
Semi-finals: Argentina x England x; Germany x South Korea x.
TODAY: Seventh-Eighth: South Africa v Pakistan (2.45pm); Fifth-Sixth: Japan v Malaysia (5pm).
Third-Fourth: x v x (7.15pm); Final: x v x (9.30pm).
