KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s emphatic 7-0 victory over Uzbekistan in their Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games opener may have provided the perfect start, but national men’s hockey head coach Brendon Carolan believes the Speedy Tigers still have plenty to improve on.
The Speedy Tigers brushed aside world number 46 Uzbekistan in their Group B encounter at the Gifu Hockey Stadium today, with Carolan pleased that his players managed to overcome their early nerves but insisting they must show greater discipline and accuracy in their upcoming matches.
Veteran forward Faizal Saari was the star performer, scoring a hat-trick with goals in the 15th, 24th and 43rd minutes. Norsyafiq Sumantri, Azimuddin Syakir Kamaruddin, Azrai Aizad Abu Kamal and Faiz Helmi Jali also found the net as Malaysia opened their campaign with a convincing win.
Carolan said the victory was important in helping his players settle after a tentative start.
“Of course, I am pleased, but I’m mostly relieved that the players managed to shake off their nerves and settle down. I thought they were much calmer in the final 20 minutes and played much better hockey.
“We were a bit loose, and I feel we need to be tidier and raise our game moving forward,” he told Scoop when contacted.
Despite the comfortable scoreline, the Australian coach felt Malaysia could have produced a more polished performance, especially with tougher opponents awaiting them in the tournament.
The world number 15 side will next face world number 25 Oman on Tuesday, with Carolan emphasising the importance of securing another three points to strengthen Malaysia’s hopes of progressing from the group stage.
“We know we need to take another three points against Oman. We have to play better than we did today and keep improving throughout the tournament to advance to the next round.
“We will do a thorough video review. I’m pleased that the players have overcome their nerves and can play with greater composure. Hopefully, we will put in an improved display against Oman before facing tougher matches as we progress,” he added.
Carolan was also encouraged by Malaysia’s penalty-corner performance, although he acknowledged that the condition of the pitch made ball control more challenging during set-pieces.
“Our penalty corners were quite good. Again, not to make excuses, but it was tricky playing on a heavy turf, especially when it came to trapping the ball during penalty corners.
“Still, I’m delighted for the players, especially Azimuddin, who scored. It’s great when young players get the opportunity to shine because they are the future of Malaysia, and it’s important for them to start scoring at this level,” he added.
While the win has boosted Malaysia’s confidence, Carolan warned his players against becoming complacent as they prepare for the remaining Group B matches.
The Speedy Tigers will now focus on sharpening their execution, improving their consistency and building momentum as they aim to secure a place in the Asian Games knockout stage. — September 20, 2026