Tough challengers for juniors

THE National Juniors, after the experience of competing in local andinternational tournaments, have made significant progress but it will bea tough call if they are good enough to make an impact in the JuniorWorld Cup which will be co-hosted by Johor and Singapore on July 7-21.
The quarter-final target set by the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF)is ambitious as the team, coached by K. Rajan, are still inexperiencedand lack depth.
None of the current players have senior team experienceand this handicap will make things difficult for them.
Though the team have improved admirably under Rajan who took over thefrom V. Muraleedharan last October, it will be tough for them to advanceto the second stage of the Junior World Cup.
Malaysia have been drawn with European giants Spain, England, SouthKorea and the United States in Group C and past records against theseteams do not favour the hosts.
The team drew 1-1 with England and lost 2-1 to Spain in a Four-NationInvitational in Seville in March.
Malaysia were beaten 2-1 by Korea in last year's Junior Eight-Nationtournament in Bukit Jalil.
Rajan's boys need to win at least three matches to ensure a top-twofinish in their group and a place in the quarter-finals.
MHF deputy president Nur Azmi Ahmad said the players have grown inconfidence and it should be enough to make an impact on the tournament.
"They have progressed and have also obtained good results against topteams," said Nur Azmi in Bukit Jalil yesterday.
"Past records don't count as we played these teams during ourpreparation. Our players are 100 per cent focused and determined to dowell."
Malaysia open their campaign against England at the Taman Daya Stadium in Johor Baru on June 7 and play Korea the next day. They thenface the US on June 10 and wrap their preliminary round fixtures withSpain two days later.
Prior to the big event, the Juniors will play friendly matches againstBelgium (June 2) and Pakistan (June 4). The final-18 will be announced by MHF after the friendly againstPakistan.

The training squad - Goalkeepers: Abdul Hakim Adnan, Asmawi Zaidi, MohdFaizal Zalani. Defenders: Khairil Anuar Isa, Sybrie Shamsuddin, Nor Hafiq Ghaffar,Marhan Jalil, Wong Kee Hoon, G. Kavin Kartik, Kazamarul Nasruddin.
Midfielders: Faizal Saari, Shafiq Zain, Izzat Rahim, Shaheeb Shah. Forwards: Azzami Adabi, Harvinder Singh, R. Nadesh, Mohamed NoorKhairul Adnan, Jamil Saidin, Izwan Firdaus Ahmad Tajuddin, Ahmad TermiziIsmail.

Groupings - Group A: Argentina, Belgium, Egypt, Pakistan, Russia; GroupB: Australia, Chile, Germany, Japan, South Africa; Group C: England,South Korea, Malaysia, Spain, US; Group D: India, Netherlands, NewZealand, Poland, Singapore.
Groups A and C will be based in Johor Baru, while Groups B and D inSingapore.