KUALA LUMPUR: The journey of the Speedy Tigers to reach the semifinals of the 2024 Asian Champions Trophy (ACT) is still uncertain, despite their comeback to draw 3-3 against South Korea in Hulunbuir, China, today.
Coach Sarjit Singh’s team fell behind in the 6th minute after South Korea’s Yang Jihun converted a penalty corner to give his team the lead but forward Muhamad Azrai Aizad Abu Kamal equalised with a field goal in the 28th minute.
Malaysia then took the lead when another striker, Norsyafiq Sumantri, scored a field goal in the 35th minute, but that lead lasted only seven minutes as Park Cheoleon netted a field goal to level the score at 2-2.
Just as Speedy Tigers’ star Faizal Saari reignited hopes of Malaysia claiming all three points with a field goal in the 55th minute, Jihun dashed those hopes by converting another penalty corner in the final minute, resulting in both teams sharing a point.
Malaysia are now in fourth place with five points, while South Korea sit in second with six points, behind leaders India, who top the standings with 12 points.
The Speedy Tigers now have to rely on the mercy of bottom-placed Japan to defeat or hold off the host team, China, who have one more match and are in fifth place with three points.
The top four teams will advance to the semifinals on Monday, while the bottom two teams will play in the fifth-sixth place classification match.
Malaysia started the tournament with a 2-2 draw against Pakistan, a 2-4 defeat to China, suffured an 8-1 thrashing by India, and earnied their first victory over Japan, 5-4, on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Sarjit acknowledged that his team deserved to win and questioned the umpire’s decision to award South Korea a penalty corner in the dying minute, which dashed their hopes of securing a win today.
“...we can’t do anything as the umpire has the final say on the field, and their decision is final. We have to accept it and use this as a lesson for the future.
“The team will continue working in preparation for the next game. Everything depends on the match between China and Japan for us to know our final position,“ he said in a statement issued by the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC).
