Daunting task for Malaysian men..

BY FIH

Our attention turns to Asia, and the impact countries such as India, Malaysia, Korea, China and Japan may have upon the World Cup. Some of these countries have a long history of involvement in major tournaments, for others it is new territory. One team that has long been associated with success on hockey's world stage is India. The men's team has dominated global hockey in the past although, at the moment, that proud hockey nation is working hard to restore its national team to former glories. The team that holds the most Olympic hockey medals – eight gold, one silver and two bronze – is currently ranked eighth in the world and is going through a re-building process. Leading from the bench will be head coach Terry Walsh and head of high performance Roel Oltmann, who are both working hard to add structure and physicality to their highly-skilled team. Setting the example from the pitch will be the creative midfielder and captain Sardar Singh and the specialist drag flicker and defensive rock Rupinder Pal Singh.

Korea enter the Rabobank World Cup on the back of a triumphant return to Champions Trophy hockey via their victory at the Champions Challenge 1. The team are also the continental champions of Asia, a title that they claimed on Malaysian soil last year thanks to victory over India in the final of the Asia Cup in Ipoh. The side, coached by Shin Seok Kyo, were also in good form at the recent Sultan Azlan Shah tournament, claiming three wins, one draw and one defeat. The Korean squad is a very experienced one: only five players who played in Champions Challenge 1 had played less than 100 games for their country. In The Hague, one player to watch is 30-year-old defender Jang Jong Hyun, a veteran of three Olympic Games (Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012) and a fearsome penalty corner drag flicker.

The third men's team representing the East is Malaysia, currently ranked 13th in the world and facing the daunting challenge of playing the opening match of the World Cup against the current world champions, Australia. However, Malaysia have enjoyed a successful past few weeks, beating fellow world cup competitors New Zealand at the Champions Challenge, and picking up a bronze medal in that event.
The team is coached by former Malaysian international Muhammad Dhaarma Raj, who stepped up from coaching the men’s U-21 team. The new coach has made a successful start to his reign, guiding the team to a second place finish behind Australia in the Sultan Azlan Cup. Among the skilful players emerging from the passionate hockey nation are Firhan Ashari, Malaysia’s youngest player, and Faizal Saari, a skilful attacker who regularly gets his name on the score-sheet. 

Asia is well represented on the women's side. China, Korea and Japan will all be competing in The Hague, and are ranked 7th, 8th and 9th respectively. Of the three teams, China are probably most likely to be challenging for medals, although the firepower of Park Mi Hyun could well be a decisive factor in Korea's favour.

China won a silver medal in Beijing, but results before and after that competition have been more middle of the road. In the Champions Trophy the team has finished seventh and eighth on the past two occasions, and this will be China's first appearance at the World Cup. The team's opening match is against Germany, who are ranked one place ahead of them, and a good start could see China fulfilling their huge potential and bringing home a medal.

Ranked one place below China is the Korea team. Their recent performance at the Champions Challenge in Glasgow was well below par. They entered the tournament as favourites but finished in fifth place. The side also missed out on winning the Asia Cup when they were beaten in the tournament final by lower ranked Japan last September, while an eighth place finish at the Argentina Hockey World League Final at the end of the year was certainly below expectations. All of this prompted captain Kim Jong Eun to say that following a few days rest, the squad "would be fit and raring to go at the World Cup", and they "expected to return with a medal."

The Cherry Blossoms of Japan are the lowest ranked of the women's teams from Asia, but they can never be written off as China and South Africa learnt to their cost at the 2012 Olympics. Japan open their World Cup campaign with the unenviable task of facing the home side, The Netherlands, but with influential players Miyuki Nakagawa, Keiko Manabe and Shiho Otsuka on the pitch, they will not be a side to be taken lightly. The best position achieved by Japan in previous World Cups was fifth in 2006 (Madrid), and they will be hoping to better the 11th place they achieved in 2011.

Baljit ready if re-called...

THE National hockey players were feted to a lunch by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak yesterday, as they enter the last phase of preparations for the World Cup at the Hague, Netherlands beginning May 31.
   For the record, Malaysia have qualified for the World Cup after last hosting it in 2002 in Kuala Lumpur.
   Playing in Group A, world No 13 Malaysia will open accounts against world No 1 Australia, while the other opponents are England (No 4), Belgium (No 5), Spain (No 10)  and India (No 8).
   Najib reminded the players to maintain a high standard of discipline, and team-work.
    “And don’t think too much about the rankings of the other teams in our group, what is important is to play to the coaches’ instructions,” said Najib.
    Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah was also at the function.
    Defender Baljit Singh Charun Singh, who was not selected for the Champions Challenge 1 in Kuantan recently, was also at the lunch with his fellow defender Razie Rahim.
    “Even though I was not selected for the Champions Challenge I kept training on my own, and am ready to play in the World Cup if the coach gives me a call-up,” said Baljit.
    In the absence of the two stalwart defenders, Baljit and Razie, Malaysia let in 17 goals and were beaten to the final by Canada.
    “I did watch the Champions Challenge on television and it was very unfortunate for my team-mates to lose in the semi-finals to Canada as I believe we were the better team.
   “And in the World Cup, we will be the lowest ranked team but I believe that everybody who is selected will give his best and make the country proud,” said Baljit who helped Malaysia finish fifth in the World League Semi-finals in Johor Baru which took Malaysia into the World Cup.
   Razie was also at the Prime Minister’s lunch, and if hen gets the all-clear from the medical side, he will be a sure bet for the World Cup as not only do Malaysia need a good defender but also a deadly penalty corner flicker.
    Malaysia will leave for the Haque on May 23, with the final 18 named a week earlier.

Hard-fought bronze for Malaysia..

MALAYSIA won their first bronze medal in the Champions Challenge 1 when they beat Ireland 3-2 in Kuantan yesterday.
   For the record, the hosts only had two fourth placings to show before this which was achieved in 2001 in Kuala Lumpur and 2013 in Argentina.
   And it was also Malaysia's first ever medal in an International Hockey Federation (FIH) open tournament, as the other silver and bronze medals were won at the Azlan Shah Cup invitational and the Asian Games. Malaysia has only won gold at the Sea Games level.
    "I'm very prous of the players as they achieved a milestone in Malaysian hockey today (yesterday) but there is much work to be done in our defense as we prepare for the World Cup which is just around the corner.
   "We had our chance to play in the final but blew it against Canada, and now we will worl to finish at leat ninth (among 12 teams) in the World Cup," said Malaysian coach k. Dharmaraj.
    The coach is also looking at minimal changes to the suqad as there is no time left leading to the World Cup: "Maximum there might be two or three chances to the squad as I do not have time on my side. But after the World Cup, there might be more chances as we prepare for the Asian Games gold medal (Olympic ticket)," said Dharmaraj.
    It was another good start for Malaysia as Ahmad Kazamirul's attempt in the fifth minute hit a defenders' foot and Malaysia were awarded a penalty stroke. And Kazamirul stepped up to the spot and beat goalkeeper David Harte for the early lead.
   And  in the 11th minute,  Rashid Baharom's reverse stick shot made it 2-0, but then, the team had led Canada 2-0 and New Zealand 4-1 before collapsing and taking the match into penalty shoot outs. They beat the Kiwis 3-2 but lost the final slot to Canada.
    Both Rashid and Kazamirul scored their first goals in the last match of the tournament, and there are still three more quarters to play.
    And it happened as Paul Gleghorne scores off a penalty corner deflection to cut Malaysia''s lead in the 22nd minute, and the bronze medal was in danger of slipping through coach K. Dharmaraj's men's fingers.
   Malaysia started playing recklessly as first Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin was green carded and Gleghorne narrowed the gap, and in the 24th minute, skipper Azlan Misron was yellow carded and will sit out for at least five minutes.
    But still by the 35th minute, Malaysia had the bronze in their hands while Ireland were pushing hard looking for the equaliser.
   However, in the 43rd minute the same script was played by Malaysia as they let Ireland claw back into the match, and this time it was a sizzling shot at goal by Chris Cargo which gave Ireland the equaliser.
    Malaysia were in a fighting mood yesterday and kept pushing and were finally rewarded when in the 66th minute, skipper Azlan Misron turned striker and gave his men the lead again.
    Faizal Saari and Firhan then sprinted to the Irish goal-mouth in the 70th minute and after a 1-2 exchange, Firhan easily scored the fourth goal to confirm the bronze medal for his mates.
    RESULTS -- Final: Canada x South Korea x; Third-Fourth: Malaysia 4 Ireland 2; Fifth-Sixth: New Zealand 6 France 3; Seventh-Eighth: Japan 3 Poland 2.

Canada the better team...

MALAYSIA had the final ticket in their hands but gave it away to Canada after a 2-2 draw in regulation time and bowing out 5-4 in a dramatic penalty shoot-out in the Champions Challenge 1 in Kuantan, Pahang yesterday.
    After taking a 2-0 lead, they allowed Canada to claw back into the match and nail the equaliser in the 70th minute. And after five shoot-outs, the score stood at 2-2, but Canada sailed into the final on a 5-4 win after the shoot-out went into sudden-death.
   It was only one minute and 30 seconds when Fitri Saari decided to make a solo run from the 25, and win Malaysia's first penalty corner of the match, with his brother completing his move a minute later.
   Faizal Saari scored his second goal of the tournament with a low push which went crashing onto the board to beat Canadian goalkeeper Antoni Kindler for the lead.
   The Malaysian team were more composed after that early lead but missed many sitters until the 14th minute when local hero Ismail Abu found his scoring touch from an acute angle.
   Ismail, from Felda Jengka 22, also took it upon himself to dribble a fed Canadian defenders before unleashing a powerful shot from almost the sidelines, but still managed to find the small gap between the post and Kindler was beaten again.
    The match was played over four quarters of 17.5 seconds and the crowd took the many breaks in play to dance and enjoy themselves as Malaysia moved closer to the final.
   But Canada had other plans as off their first penalty corner in the 20th minute their skipper Scott Tupper scored to narrow the gap.
     And with Faiz Helmi stretchered out in the 31st minute, the fragile Malaysian defense suffered another big blow with another half remaining in the match.
   Malaysia loved dangerously after the restart, as they kept missing sitters and started to give away too many chances to the Canadian strikers, and  even missed a penalty corner in the 43rd minute, which could have sealed their spot in the final.
    Coach K. Dharmaraj's men started missing too many sitters and they paid a heavy price for it in the 59th minute when Tuppper again scored from a penalty corner attempt to make it 2-2.
    In the remaining 20 minutes, Canada were the more dangerous side but Malaysia got their chance to nail the final spot when they won a 68th minute penalty corner.
    But they bungled, and Canada won two back-to-back penalty corners in the 70th minute, but failed to score and the match went into shoot-out.
    For the second time Malaysia are in a shoot-out and they use the same players who beat New Zealand 3-2. Firhan Ashari, Faiz Helmi, Shahril Saabah, Fitri Saari and Faizal Saari were give the task to take Malaysia into the final, with S. Kumar the guardian.
    The penalty shoot out stood at 2-2 after the first round, and Canada went into the final on a 5-4 shoot-out score.
    RESULTS-- Semi-finals: Malaysia 2 Canada 2 (Canada win shoot-out 5-4); Ireland 1 South Korea 2.
    Classification -- Fifth-Eighth: New Zealand 6 Poland 1; France 3 Japan 2.
    TODAY -- Final -- Canada  v South Korea (9.30pm); Third-Fourth: Malaysia v Ireland (7.15pm); Fifth-Sixth: New Zealand v France (5pm); Seventh-Eighth: Japan v Poland (2.45pm).
   

Canada hurdle...

MALAYSIA will square off against Canada again in the Champions Challenge 1 in Kuantan today, but it will not be
the same as the Group B match where the hosts won 4-3.
   This was the consensus by both coaches K. Dharmaraj and Canadian Anthony Farry who feel it would be a
different ball game altogether.
   "Even though both teams know each other's strengths as we did play them in the Azlan Shah Cup (won 3-0) as well as in Kuantan, but I believe we cant take previous matches into account because at stake here is a spot in the final as well as a shot at the Champions Trophy ticket," said Dharmaraj.
   Malaysia played a super match against Canada, but lapses as well as a penalty stroke and yellow card to
goalkeeper S. Kumar almost saw them lose the match.
   "It was my first international yellow card and I was quite surprised with it as after the match, I watched the video
with the coach and saw that it was neither a penalty stroke or a yellow card infringement when I tackled the Canadian
forward in the group match.
   "But looking ahead, I must again be at my best tomorrow (today) because Canada does have some good strikers
and their counters are quite sharp," said Kumar.
   And in the match against New Zealand in the quarter-finals, Malaysia did take a 4-1 lead but were held 4-4 before
winning the penalty stroke 3-2.
   "It (NZ match) was a bruising encounter but my players are capable of giving their best again, and we will not take
Canada lightly as we keep our eyes firmly on playing in the final," said Dharmaraj.
   The other semi-finals will be between South Korea and Ireland, where the Irish will go in as the dark horses.
   "We have studied videos of the Malaysian matches in this tournament and I can say that the team has improved
tremendously in this tournament and beating world no 6 New Zealand was no small feat. But even though we know
what to do roughly, it will be a hard game for sure," said Farry.
   The crowd in Kuantan had been very supportive and there is non stop cheering as well as singing during
Malaysian matches.
   "The crowd has really been very supportive and I can say that we are in the semi-finals partly because of their
undying support. I call for their support again as they do motivate my players with their non-stop chanting and
support," said Dharmaraj.
    However, the Canadians also enjoy the crowd: "There has been super support form the crowd during the
Malaysian matches and it also works for us as we like the atmosphere," said Farry who will only miss Sukhi
Panesar who was red carded in their bruising quarter-finals where they edged Poland 3-2.
    TODAY -- Semi-finals: Malaysia v Canada (7.15pm); Ireland v South Korea (9.30pm).
    Classification -- Fifth-Eighth: New Zealand v Poland (2.45pm); France v Japan (5pm).