MALAYSIA last played Ireland in the Champions Challenge in Kuantan last year, and the hosts snapped up the bronze medal with a convincing 4-2 score.
But the Irish did deny Malaysia a spot in the London Olympics, when they held us to a 1-1 draw at the Dublin Qualifier on St Patrick's day.
This scribe was there to watch both the matches, one played during a massive parade in chilly Dublin, the other played under sunny conditions and sea breeze in Kuantan.
In Dublin, Ireland went on to play in the final against South Korea, and the Asian giants beat them to the Olympics.
Malaysia play Ireland on the 25th, 8pm, and the only route for coach Tai Beng Hai and his men is a win or it will be bust all the way in the next two matches.
Ireland, ranked 14th, are two rungs below Malaysia: "Rankings do not matter in this tournament as every team is chasing for a spot in the Olympics and playing on a different level than what they are capable of normally," said Malaysian coach Beng Hai.
China were a classic example, as even though ranked 31st and 19 below Malaysia they played gallantly and only lost 2-3.
The matches here have been close, as even Pakistan could only beat Poland 2-1, while India scraped past France 3-2.
Belgium and Britain played to a 2-2 draw, while the only match that went to rankings was when Australia thrashed France 10-0.
On Monday, the Malaysian team were given a free day, and they went around in groups sightseeing and shopping in Antwerp to rest their edge nerves, as their next match was only three days away.
Yesterday, there was some light training and tomorrow will be another rest day for Malaysia before the Ireland do-or-die.
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Sarjit saw the power in Zidane..
TENGKU Ahmad Tajuddin @zidane is a pint sized player who almost did not make the national team because he is also bowlegged.
Back in 2004, a national selector stood by this scribe and said: "Its a pity that Tengku Ahmad will never make the national squad, because not only is he physically small-framed, but also bowlegged. This would be a big disadvantage when he plays bigger European players."
We were then watching Tengku Ahmad running circles around his team-mates in a selection friendly for the 2005 Rotterdam Junior World Cup. His nick-name Zidane was cemented after the friendly, as he showed speed and agility like the Algerian/French soccer star.
Luckily, the coach then, Sarjit Singh, saw differently from the said scout and named Zidane, from Perlis, into the training squad and he not only impressed in Rotterdam, but went on to play for Malaysia consistently and has more than 200 caps.
He has scored many important goals and made many deft passes for Malaysia in the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Cup, and many other tournaments around the globe.
At 29, he is at the threshold of his career and two matches away from playing in the Olympics -- 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.
Playing a feeders role now, Zidane's deft passes helped Malaysia beat China 3-2 and he is now looking forward to the challenge of his life-time -- Ireland.
"It feels like this is the moment that I have been waiting for all my life. When we came here we were drilled that its only three matches to the Olympics, and we have won one.
"Beating Ireland is a must if we want to play in the Olympics and there is no other option. It will not be easy, but we are ready to give our very best.
"Ireland will be the real test on our true strength, before we take on bigger giants Belgium and Britain," said Zidane.
If Malaysia beats Ireland, Britain and Belgium will no longer matter. What will matter is the third match -- in the quarter-finals -- as a win here will cement Malaysia's spot in the Olympics.
Three matches, one down, two more to go.
Back in 2004, a national selector stood by this scribe and said: "Its a pity that Tengku Ahmad will never make the national squad, because not only is he physically small-framed, but also bowlegged. This would be a big disadvantage when he plays bigger European players."
We were then watching Tengku Ahmad running circles around his team-mates in a selection friendly for the 2005 Rotterdam Junior World Cup. His nick-name Zidane was cemented after the friendly, as he showed speed and agility like the Algerian/French soccer star.
Luckily, the coach then, Sarjit Singh, saw differently from the said scout and named Zidane, from Perlis, into the training squad and he not only impressed in Rotterdam, but went on to play for Malaysia consistently and has more than 200 caps.
He has scored many important goals and made many deft passes for Malaysia in the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Cup, and many other tournaments around the globe.
At 29, he is at the threshold of his career and two matches away from playing in the Olympics -- 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.
Playing a feeders role now, Zidane's deft passes helped Malaysia beat China 3-2 and he is now looking forward to the challenge of his life-time -- Ireland.
"It feels like this is the moment that I have been waiting for all my life. When we came here we were drilled that its only three matches to the Olympics, and we have won one.
"Beating Ireland is a must if we want to play in the Olympics and there is no other option. It will not be easy, but we are ready to give our very best.
"Ireland will be the real test on our true strength, before we take on bigger giants Belgium and Britain," said Zidane.
If Malaysia beats Ireland, Britain and Belgium will no longer matter. What will matter is the third match -- in the quarter-finals -- as a win here will cement Malaysia's spot in the Olympics.
Three matches, one down, two more to go.
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
GROUP B: Ireland 2 Britain 2
The 14th ranked Green Machine pulled off the upset of the tournament when they beat No 5 Britain in Group B of the World League Semifinals in Antwerp, Belgium.
Malaysia play Ireland next on Thursday (June 25th).
Malaysia play Ireland next on Thursday (June 25th).
Keep the respect intact...
By Jugjet Singh
COLUMN
MALAYSIA did just enough to beat China 3-2 in the World League Semi-finals, but if one looks to the future, this match should be the fist wake-up call to the new Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) management.
China were friendly and diplomatic before the start of the match, but they were robust, dominant in certain areas, and defended like a pack of wolves and Malaysia were lucky to walk away with three points from a team which is ranked 19 rungs below.
After warm-up, the Malaysian players started to wrap a thick black tape around their arms, and when China players saw this they came over and asked the reason for the band.
And when they found out the black arm-band was in respect for goalkeeper S. Kumar's tragic loss, the China players formed a circle and held a brief discussion, before coming over to the Malaysian side to pay their respects and surprisingly -- requested for the black tape from team manager Stephen van Huizen.
They wore the mourning band in tandem with Malaysia, as respect, but that's all the sympathy Malaysia received from them.
To be honest, China were beaten by two spectacular goals which no goalkeeper in the world could have stopped. The first was a cricket volley from close range, after the ball fell at Faizal Shaari's feet and bounced eight inches for a beautifully set up Sixer.
The second was even more cheeky, as 21-year-old Haziq Shamsul's back was towards the goalmouth and the ball just nicked the tip of his hockey stick and for a moment, even he was unsure of the goal before he started celebrating.
A replay at the stadium big screen, in slow motion, showed just how lucky the goal was -- and luck almost ran out for coach Tai Beng Hai and his men after that.
They barely pulled off a one-goal victory against a team which we beat 4-1 at the Asian Games.
The key word here is RESPECT.
China gave Malaysia no respect, pushed hard, used their elbows to shove aside our boys like they were pesky flies. And it almost worked if not for the two spectacular goals which might just turn out to be the goals of the tournament.
In Antwerp, Malaysia are respected by everybody as a spirited lot, with a history of playing in the World Cup, Olympics and hosts to many international tournaments.
The in-house World League bulletin printed a half-page on Malaysia's hockey history, starting with the first recorded match in 1904 between Singapore and Malaya.
And the write-up went on to note that it was only 52 years later that Malaysia played in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. It also ran accolades to the late Sultan Azlan Shah and his wonderful tournament.
Respect, we had, but respect we're losing fast as even China has closed the gap to a one-goal margin.
We need to beat Ireland next, and not be thrashed by Belgium and Britain to keep this respect. If not, in future tournaments, not only China but Singapore might just beat us.
COLUMN
MALAYSIA did just enough to beat China 3-2 in the World League Semi-finals, but if one looks to the future, this match should be the fist wake-up call to the new Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) management.
China were friendly and diplomatic before the start of the match, but they were robust, dominant in certain areas, and defended like a pack of wolves and Malaysia were lucky to walk away with three points from a team which is ranked 19 rungs below.
After warm-up, the Malaysian players started to wrap a thick black tape around their arms, and when China players saw this they came over and asked the reason for the band.
And when they found out the black arm-band was in respect for goalkeeper S. Kumar's tragic loss, the China players formed a circle and held a brief discussion, before coming over to the Malaysian side to pay their respects and surprisingly -- requested for the black tape from team manager Stephen van Huizen.
They wore the mourning band in tandem with Malaysia, as respect, but that's all the sympathy Malaysia received from them.
To be honest, China were beaten by two spectacular goals which no goalkeeper in the world could have stopped. The first was a cricket volley from close range, after the ball fell at Faizal Shaari's feet and bounced eight inches for a beautifully set up Sixer.
The second was even more cheeky, as 21-year-old Haziq Shamsul's back was towards the goalmouth and the ball just nicked the tip of his hockey stick and for a moment, even he was unsure of the goal before he started celebrating.
A replay at the stadium big screen, in slow motion, showed just how lucky the goal was -- and luck almost ran out for coach Tai Beng Hai and his men after that.
They barely pulled off a one-goal victory against a team which we beat 4-1 at the Asian Games.
The key word here is RESPECT.
China gave Malaysia no respect, pushed hard, used their elbows to shove aside our boys like they were pesky flies. And it almost worked if not for the two spectacular goals which might just turn out to be the goals of the tournament.
In Antwerp, Malaysia are respected by everybody as a spirited lot, with a history of playing in the World Cup, Olympics and hosts to many international tournaments.
The in-house World League bulletin printed a half-page on Malaysia's hockey history, starting with the first recorded match in 1904 between Singapore and Malaya.
And the write-up went on to note that it was only 52 years later that Malaysia played in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. It also ran accolades to the late Sultan Azlan Shah and his wonderful tournament.
Respect, we had, but respect we're losing fast as even China has closed the gap to a one-goal margin.
We need to beat Ireland next, and not be thrashed by Belgium and Britain to keep this respect. If not, in future tournaments, not only China but Singapore might just beat us.
Beng Hai keeps his cool...
COACH Tai Beng Hai was smiling, but it looked more like grinding his teeth, after Malaysia edged China 3-2 in the World League Semi-finals in Antwerp, Belgium on Sunday.
His answers were simple and diplomatic, but one could sense he was struggling to keep his anger in check.
That anger almost came to a boil when a volunteer refused him entry into the interview area, and after an exchange of words, he smiled for the camera again.
"Well, it was our first match and there were some shaky moments but that is to be expected. The important part is that we won three points," said Beng Hai.
Youngster Haziq Shamsul, 21, who scored the super second goal to give Malaysia breathing space, was much more composed even though he went through a rough period one month before the World League when he lost his mother.
"I am just happy to help my team-mates beat China. This match was supposed to be easier, but China gave us a very good fight and I am just happy that we landed the three points no matter what the score," said Haziq.
Haziq was among the promising juniors side which beat South Korea in the quarter-finals of the Junior World Cup in New Delhi and took Malaysia into the semi-finals -- a feat last achieved in 1982 in the Kuala Lumpur Junior World Cup.
And Haziq's take on the next opponent Ireland: "For me they are just another team which we need to beat if we want to play in the Olympics. I will again give my best, and I am confident my mates will do the same.
"We have been drilled on the score before coming here. We need to beat China and Ireland before turning our focus on Belgium and Britain. We have achieved one, no matter the score, and our focus and determination will be to achieve the same aganst Ireland," said the player who is expected to wear the junior's skippers arm-band in the Sultan of Johor Cup and then the Junior Asia Cup in Kuantan which doubles up as a Junior World Cup qualifier.
His answers were simple and diplomatic, but one could sense he was struggling to keep his anger in check.
That anger almost came to a boil when a volunteer refused him entry into the interview area, and after an exchange of words, he smiled for the camera again.
"Well, it was our first match and there were some shaky moments but that is to be expected. The important part is that we won three points," said Beng Hai.
Youngster Haziq Shamsul, 21, who scored the super second goal to give Malaysia breathing space, was much more composed even though he went through a rough period one month before the World League when he lost his mother.
"I am just happy to help my team-mates beat China. This match was supposed to be easier, but China gave us a very good fight and I am just happy that we landed the three points no matter what the score," said Haziq.
Haziq was among the promising juniors side which beat South Korea in the quarter-finals of the Junior World Cup in New Delhi and took Malaysia into the semi-finals -- a feat last achieved in 1982 in the Kuala Lumpur Junior World Cup.
And Haziq's take on the next opponent Ireland: "For me they are just another team which we need to beat if we want to play in the Olympics. I will again give my best, and I am confident my mates will do the same.
"We have been drilled on the score before coming here. We need to beat China and Ireland before turning our focus on Belgium and Britain. We have achieved one, no matter the score, and our focus and determination will be to achieve the same aganst Ireland," said the player who is expected to wear the junior's skippers arm-band in the Sultan of Johor Cup and then the Junior Asia Cup in Kuantan which doubles up as a Junior World Cup qualifier.
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