KUALA LUMPUR – After failing to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, the national men’s hockey team have a shot at finishing fifth in the Olympic qualifiers in Muscat, Oman after beating Chile 5-0 in their 5th to 8th classification match at the Oman Hockey Stadium today.
The Speedy Tigers had to slog it out till the third quarter before opening accounts through a penalty corner by Muhammad Razie Abd Rahim in the 32nd minute, followed by a Mohamad Ashran Hamsani field goal two minutes later.
The goals then began flowing, with a Muhammad Marhan Mohd Jalil penalty corner in the 41st, a field goal by Norsyafiq Sumantri in the 48th and finally a penalty stroke by Muhammad Azrai Aizad Abu Kamal in the 60th minute.
They are slated to meet world number 18 Canada in tomorrow’s 5th to 6th classification match after the Canadians beat China 3-1 today.
The Speedy Tigers failed to qualify for the Olympics, scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11, after they finished last in Group A with one point, losing to China 2-3 on Monday, then 1-4 to Great Britain on Tuesday and drawing 3-3 with Pakistan on yesterday.
Meanwhile, the women’s hockey squad ended the qualifiers in Valencia, Spain last among eight competing teams after losing 1-2 to Ukraine in the 7th to 8th classification match.
Two penalty corners, by Anastasiia Voevoda in the 45th minute and Valeriia Rudychenko in the 52nd ensured victory while Malaysia’s consolation goal came from a field goal by Fatin Shafika Mahd Sukri in the 60th minute via a powerplay.
“We are rather disappointed to have lost even though the players have given their best. This is good exposure for the team, who are mostly young players,” women’s squad’s head coach Mohd Nasihin Nubil Ibrahim said. – January 20, 2024