KUALA LUMPUR: National women’s junior hockey head coach Lailin Abu Hassan has already devised a plan to face Hong Kong in the playoff for the fifth to eighth placings of the 2024 Women’s Hockey Junior Asia Cup in Muscat, Oman, tomorrow.
Lailin expressed confidence that his girls would bounce back after missing out on a semi-final spot, following a 4-0 defeat to China in their final Group A match.
“I hope the players will remain focused for the fifth-to-eighth place playoff,“ he said. “For the match against Hong Kong, I’ve planned a strategy to secure a victory on Saturday,“ he added in an audio shared by the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) yesterday.
The Young Tigress finished third in Group A of the 2024 Women’s Asia Youth Cup, earning six points from two wins against Bangladesh and Thailand. This result secured Malaysia’s spot in the playoff for the fifth to eighth positions, where a win is crucial to keeping their hopes alive for a spot in the 2025 Women’s Hockey Junior World Cup in Chile.
Reflecting on yesterday’s match, Lailin was pleased with his players’ performance, despite the loss to China. He specifically praised goalkeeper Haslinda Zainal Abidin, who was awarded the Rising Star award for her efforts in the match against China.
“Haslinda delivered an outstanding performance. She played a key role in our defence, particularly when China earned a penalty corner. She truly showcased her ability as a goalkeeper and fully deserved the award,“ Lailin said.
