Where did it go wrong for Speedy Tigers at Asian Games?

 

China players celebrate after their win over Malaysia yesterday. (Asian Hockey Federation pic)

PETALING JAYA: When you are a fan of the Malaysia men’s hockey team every new dawn is simply a foretaste of disappointment.

Things went off the rails yesterday for the Paris Olympics hopefuls in the crucial Asian Games match against China, appearing timid and painfully limited.

The power of the collective is what a team is about, but the Speedy Tigers collapsed when it mattered most.

In the final minute of the match, with the score tied at 4-4, they were awarded a penalty corner after an infringement by a Chinese player.

China took their appeal upstairs, and it was a huge moment for the video umpire. Malaysia had to win, and China needed a draw to advance to the semi-finals.

The penalty corner was given but a misstop by a nervy player ended Malaysia’s hope for a win.

Seconds later, the Chinese celebrated, and the Malaysians in yellow shirts departed the stadium in Hangzhou with red faces.

It was coach A Arulselvaraj’s second failure at the Asian Games having led the team that finished fourth at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games.

Malaysia coach A Arulselvaraj in a desperate moment with his players during a break. (Facebook pic)

Now, a disappointed Arulselvaraj hopes to end Malaysia’s campaign in the best position in the 5th-6th playoff against Pakistan on Friday so that they can earn a spot in the Olympic qualifier.

For the Paris Olympics, hosts France, Oceania Cup champions Australia and EuroHockey Championship winners, the Netherlands, have so far confirmed their places.

They will be joined by the Asian, African and Pan American champions as well as the three best teams each from the two qualifying tournaments in Muscat, Oman, and Valencia, Spain next year.

Uncertainty and anxiety

For former hockey international Maninderjit Singh, the defeat is about “not being able to deliver when it matters most”.

Former Malaysia hockey defender Maninderjit Singh.

He said 80% of the players were from the squad that broke hearts in the epic 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta where Japan came back from the dead, from 2-5 down to draw 6-6 and win the shootout 3-1.

The defender recalled the bruising battle in 2000 when he and his teammates beat Japan 2-1 in the Osaka Olympic qualifier to play in Sydney.

He said with both teams level 1-1 until the 63rd minute (it was 70 minutes then), S Kuhan scored off a penalty corner and “we held on with grit defending as if our lives depended on it”.

Maninderjit said the Speedy Tigers had no general to drive the players forward during a crisis, and against China, they were chasing the game.

The Olympian said there was a striking weakness in dealing with the long ball, with China getting something most times in the D.

“China played tactically well, defended stoutly, sprung into counter-attacks and double-teamed excellently in defence,” he observed.

The China coach, he said, should be praised for replacing his goalkeeper with a substitute after he had made two mistakes.

Maninderjit said since Malaysia needed a win, and 4-4 would be a defeat, they could have resorted to power play in the final quarter.

“Why stay at a draw when an additional outfield player could create more attacking opportunities?”

He said: “With the extra player the team gets better ball possession and a higher rate of circle penetration that could result in more penalty corners and shots at goal.

“Some top teams in the world have used power play even in the last nine minutes, and it is a risk tactic we should have adopted a long time ago.

“In hockey, to score a goal the player has to be in the D. It’s not like football where you can score from anywhere.”

Of peaking and China’s rise

Maninderjit believes World No 10 Malaysia peaked too early, and played their best hockey in August at the Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai, India.

“South Korea, Japan and China went there as part of their preparation to peak at the Asian Games, and they are all now in the semi-finals.

“It doesn’t make sense that we beat South Korea twice in the Champions Trophy but lost to them in the Asian Games,” he said.

He noted World No 20 China got their first international exposure after the pandemic in 2020 in Chennai.

At the tournament, Malaysia beat China 5-1, and went on to lose 4-3 to India in the final.

It is said that a key man in China’s rise in hockey is South Korean Kim Sang-ryul, who is technical director of Liaoning Province where four players of the current team come from.

One of Kim’s coaches is former Malaysian hockey international Lim Chiow Chuan who moved from Oman to get involved in the Chinese system.

Kim was tipped to coach Malaysia in mid-2000 but some felt his culture of regimented, no-nonsense training would not suit the local players.

At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, he was the first to have his players rush out of the goal to defend penalty corners.

It was a near-suicidal approach that caused multiple injuries to his team, but also ensured they qualified for an unprecedented final, winning the silver medal.

What now for the national team?

Maninderjit said there were questions about some aging legs as nearly 60% of the players are almost above 30 “and this could be (the) last Asian Games for most of the key players”.

“If you look at the junior team which is currently in preparation for the Junior World Cup, they are not up to the mark for senior international competitions.

“We might end up having a national team, and not an international team,” he said.

A review of Speedy Tigers’ inclusion in the Road to Gold programme makes perfect sense. - FMT