HOCKEY WORLD LEAGUE: MALAYSIA TOYS WITH OMAN

Oman Hockey Association president Talib al Wahaibi (right) speaks to the national team players after a practice session following the team’s loss to Malaysia in Dhaka on Sunday

NOTE: Its a file picture as Dhaka has a blue pitch and no pines surrounding it....

By Ashok Purohit

March 06, 2017

Oman was given a stinging lesson by a much-superior Malaysian side as K K Poonacha's men suffered a 1-6 tennis-score-like drubbing in the Hockey World League (HWL) Round 2 at the Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh on Sunday. 

It was a reality check for Oman, which had begun its campaign with a dominating 7-0 victory over minnow Fiji in a Pool A game on Saturday.

For Malaysia, the pre-tournament favourite and the top-ranked side, it was an expected win despite missing several key players.

Ranked 13th in the world, Malaysia was off the blocks in the 11th minute when Shahril Saabah scored a field goal. Oman then held fort for the next 15 minutes before Malaysian star Razie Rahim converted a penalty corner to make it 2-0.

Another penalty corner in the 33rd minute found Tengku Ahmad blast past Oman goalkeeper Fahad al Nofli, making it 3-0.

Oman, ranked 31st in the world, raised hopes of a fightback when Mohammed al Lawati scored a field goal off a counter offensive in the 37th minute.

But Malaysia's domination was restored as Aiman Nik Rosemi made it 4-1 in the 42nd minute and Ahmad scored his second goal in the 48th minute to make it 5-1.

Aiman completed the rout seven minutes from the final whistle with his second strike to establish his team's credentials as the title favourite.

Speaking over phone from Dhaka, Oman's head coach Poonacha put up a brave stance. “Malaysia is the 13th-ranked side in the world, while we are ranked 31st. We played good hockey, but there are some areas where we need to improve. Our players did well in the opening two quarters. But after that, Malaysia played well.

“Malaysia is the top team in the competition. We have to get over the loss and focus on our next game against Bangladesh on Tuesday.”

Bangladesh was a 5-1 winner against Fiji in another Pool A match on Sunday, making the upcoming contest between Oman and Bangladesh crucial to finish second in the group.
Poonacha said that match against the hosts is 'between equal teams', adding, “It will all depend on who plays the best on Tuesday, but I am confident of my boys' victory.”

Incidentally, Bangladesh is coached by former Oman coach, Oliver Kurtz of Germany.

Poonacha took over the Oman reigns from the German. In other matches played on Sunday, China fell 2-3 in a penalty shootout against Egypt in a Pool B game after both teams were tied 2-2 in regulation-time; and Ghana defeated Sri Lanka 5-4 in another Pool B contest.

A total of eight teams from three continents, including Asia, Africa and Oceania - split into Pools A and B - are taking part in the nine-day competition.

On Tuesday, the final day of the group-stage matches, Malaysia takes on Fiji, China meets Sri Lanka and Ghana faces Egypt.

The top two teams will qualify for the HWL semifinals, which will be held in London, UK in June and Johannesburg, South Africa in July. The HWL Round 2 is the qualifying tournament for the 2018 World Cup, which will be played in New Delhi, India.

Slow but convincing win...

IT WAS a slow start, but Malaysia picked up after the second half to beat Oman 6-1 in the World League Round Two hockey match in Dhaka, Bangladesh, yesterday.
  Again, a lower ranked team managed to hold Malaysia to a 1-0 lead in the first quarter, as only Shahril Saabah was on target in the 11th minute off a close tap-in.
  Oman are ranked 31st in the World while Malaysia 13th. It was the same script against World No 32 Bangladesh where Malaysia could only win 3-0 on Saturday.
  At the half-time break, Malaysia held a slim 2-0 lead, after Razie Rahim finally scored off his fifth penalty corner attempt in the 26th minute. 
 Tengku Ahamd Tajuddin scored the third in the 33rd minute, off a penalty corner set-piece while the other goals were scored by Aiman Nik Rosemi (42nd, 53rd) and Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin (48th).
  Oman got their consolation off Muhammad Al-Lawati 37th minute.
    In an earlier match, No 18 ranked China were beaten in sudden-death shoot-out by No 20 ranked Egypt.
  The match ended 2-2, and the five-man shoot-out also saw a 2-2 deadlock before Egypt won in sudden-death.
  Egypt received two points for their effort, while China one point.

STANDINGS

GROUP A

            P  W  D  L  F  A  Pts
MALAYSIA    2  2  0  0  9  1  6
OMAN        2  1  0  1  8  6  3
BANGLADESH  2  1  0  1  5 4  3
FIJI        2  0  0  2  1  12  0


GROUP B 
            P  W  D  L  F  A  Pts
EGYPT       2  1  1  0  8  4  5
CHINA       2  1  1  0  9  5  4
GHANA       2  1  0  1  8  11 3
SRI LANKA   2  0  0  2  6  11 0

Note: There is a shoot-out in the event of a draw, and the winning team gets two points.

  RESULTS: Group A: Oman 1 Malaysia 6, Bangladesh 5 Fiji 1; Group B: Ghana 5 Sri Lanka 4, Egypt 2 China 2 (Egypt and China draw 2-2 in shoot-out, Egypt win sudden-death).
  MONDAY: REST DAY
  TUESDAY: Group A -- Malaysia v Fiji (11am), Bangladesh v Oman (6pm); Group B: China v Sri Lanka (1.30pm), Ghana v Egypt (3.45pm).
  Note: Malaysian time. 

Free daily news on the wall...

WHILE newspapers around the world are facing tough times to attract new and young readers to their print version and are going on-line, Bangladesh has a third option.
  Newspapers are pasted on the wall in selected areas all over Dhaka daily, and the public can stand and read it for free.
  This is the wall-on-line version that has been around here for at least two decades.
  In this way, not only news and appointments and other stuff is circulated, but advertisers also get their moneys worth on people who either do not have the money to buy papres from the stands.
  Every day, at least 20 English and Bengali language newspapers are pasted on selected walls around Greater Dhaka, which has a population of 18 million, with 8.5 million in the city centre itself.
  The A grade newspapers still have a circulation of 100,000 to 500,000 while the B grade sell around 50,000.
  And there are 10 English and at least 50 Bengali newspapers who are still selling strong.
  Newspapers published in Bangladesh are written in Bengali or English versions. Most Bangladeshi daily newspapers are usually printed in broadsheets while few daily tabloids exist.
  All daily newspapers are morning editions and there are no evening papers in Bangladesh, and only a few offer online versions.
  Stories of the day share walls of bustling sidewalks crammed with fruits, clothes, fried stuff, freshly squeezed juices and a host of chai-wallas.
  While 'shopping' at the sidewalks and drinking chai on push-carts, people stop and read newspapers on the wall.
  And wall circulations can run to the millions everyday.

Cheers! to Datuk Rokk...

This scribe was fortunate to have worked and learnt the ropes from a master journalist. Solid as a Rokk..

PEKAN: Former New Straits Times (NST) sports editor Lazarus Rokk described the Darjah Indera Mahkota Pahang (DIMP) bestowed on him as an appreciation by Sultan of Pahang, Sultan Ahmad Shah and the Regent of Pahang, Tengku Abdullah for those involved in sports.

  Rokk, now a ‘Datuk’, was among 77 DIMP recipients to receive their awards from Tengku Abdullah at an investiture ceremony at Istana Abu Bakar here today.

  Also present at the ceremony was Tengku Puan Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah and 215 award recipients held in conjunction with the sultan’s birthday.

  Rokk said the award was the highest he had ever received after spending 31 years in the media. Apart from NST, he had also served in The Star and Malay Mail.

  “Sports is a subject close to the hearts of the Sultan and the Tengku Mahkota (Tengku Abdullah). Both of them deeply appreciated those involved in sports...not only athletes and sports officers, as even sports writers were also recognised.

  “The award recognises my career efforts even though I knew Tengku Abdullah when I was still a journalist and he was active in football,” he told reporters when met here today.

Just a win, nothing fancy...

IT WAS a jittery 60 minutes for Malaysia but they went on to beat Bangladesh 3-0 in the curtain raiser of the World League Round Two hockey tournament in Dhaka, Bangladesh Saturday.
  Only the finalists will move on to the World League Semifinals, and Malaysia face Oman on Sunday where a win is also expected.
  Ranked 13th in the World, Malaysia started the count when Marhan Jalil slapped in from close range in the fifth minute.
  But the first quarter ended without anymore goals, as Malaysia bungled a penalty corner and also three sitters.
  Razie Rahim scored off Malaysia's second penalty corner in the 19th minute, and Aiman Nik Rosemi made it 3-0 in the 54th minute for full points.


STANDINGS

GROUP A

            P  W  D  L  F  A  Pts
OMAN        1  1  0  0  7  0  3
MALAYSIA    1  1  0  0  3  0  3
BANGLADESH  1  0  0  1  0  3  0
FIJI        1  0  0  1  0  7  0



GROUP B 
            P  W  D  L  F  A  Pts
CHINA       1  1  0  0  7  3  3
EGYPT       1  1  0  0  6  2  3
SRI LANKA   1  0  0  1  2  6  0
GHANA       1  0  0  1  3  7  0



  RESULTS: Group A -- Oman 7 Fiji 0, Malaysia 3 Bangladesh 0; Group B: China 7 Ghana 3, Egypt 6 Sri Lanka 2.
  SUNDAY: Group A: Oman v Malaysia (3.45pm), Bangladesh v Fiji (6pm); Group B: Ghana v Sri Lanka (11am), Egypt v China (1.30pm).
  MONDAY: REST DAY
  TUESDAY: Group A -- Malaysia v Fiji (11am), Bangladesh v Oman (6pm); Group B: China v Sri Lanka (1.30pm), Ghana v Egypt (3.45pm).
  Note: Malaysian time.