KUALA LUMPUR – National junior hockey head coach I. Vikneswaran criticised his team’s silly errors after their 3-2 loss to New Zealand in the Sultan of Johor Cup (SOJC) opener yesterday.
The Young Tigers were forced to play catch-up hockey against their world-ranked 13 opponents after conceding as early as the fourth minute, following a clean penalty corner strike from Jonty Elmes.
Malaysia equalised in the 16th minute through their first penalty corner, converted by Harris Iskandar Othman.
However, in the 44th minute, they were reduced to 10 players for 10 minutes after Yadiy Saifuddin received a yellow card for an infringement.
New Zealand regained the lead in the 48th minute when Elmes converted a penalty stroke.
Malaysia, ranked 11th in the world, fought back, equalising with a solo goal by Adam Ashraf Johari in the 55th minute.
Just a minute later, the Black Sticks capitalised on a defensive lapse, with Gus Nelson scoring from close range off a long pass to secure the win.
Overall, Malaysia earned three penalty corners and converted one, while New Zealand registered 19 circle penetrations.
Vikneswaran said his team started poorly and struggled to cope with New Zealand’s pressure.
“We had so many chances which we failed to convert. Although my players performed well, they made too many mistakes and were playing under immense pressure. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but we accept the defeat.
“Mental strength plays a big role. We need to improve several areas, and we cannot afford to start as poorly in our next match.
“While I’m disappointed, I also don’t want to be too harsh on them, as this is the first international tournament since the team was disbanded earlier this year. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and it will take time for the team to gel,” said Vikneswaran in a post-match conference.
Malaysia, currently fourth in the SOJC group with zero points, will face Japan in their second group fixture tomorrow.
Meanwhile, New Zealand head coach Greg Nicol praised his team’s performance against a tough Malaysian side and urged his charges to maintain momentum in their next match against Australia.
“We knew it was going to be a tough match even before we stepped onto the pitch, but I’m happy that my boys turned up and didn’t allow the Malaysian side to punish us.
“It was a well-deserved victory, and we hope to maintain this momentum and the confidence in the dressing room as we head into our second group fixture,” said Nicol. — October 20, 2024