JOHOR BAHRU: The national junior hockey team claimed their first victory of the Sultan of Johor Cup with a 4-2 win over New Zealand at Taman Daya Hockey Stadium.
Both teams struggled to score during a tightly contested first half while adjusting to the game’s pace.
Malaysia’s P. Naaveenesh broke the deadlock with two field goals in the 16th and 19th minutes of the second half.
Ammar Qusyairi Abd Halim extended the lead to 3-0 with another field goal just moments later in the 19th minute.
New Zealand responded with Javahn Jones converting a penalty corner in the 44th minute for their first goal.
The Black Sticks narrowed the gap further when Rocco Ludolph scored from a penalty corner in the 47th minute.
Muhammad Danish Irfan Muhammad Saufi sealed Malaysia’s victory with a 57th-minute field goal for the 4-2 final score.
Head coach Nor Saiful Zaini Nasiruddin expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance while acknowledging areas for improvement.
“We planned the game well and successfully executed it, but we must learn to control matches when leading,” he said.
Nor Saiful identified defensive issues during the final quarter that required immediate attention.
“Our defence was still porous in the fourth quarter, and the entire pattern of play needs improvement,” he admitted.
The coach confirmed the team would analyse match footage to prepare for their upcoming match against Great Britain.
“Great Britain is a good team who will have studied our weaknesses, so we must improve accordingly,” he added. – Bernama
