Malaysia to fight tough battle against Japan at Asian Champions Trophy China – Hockey Update
The Malaysian national team’s target to end their Asian Champion Trophy’s campaign in the top four is now looking tougher as they managed to draw 2-2 against the Indian side at the Yijinhuolou Hockey Stadium in Ordos, China on Wednesday, September 7.
The Malaysian team will be up against Japan in their next encounter where they will have to defeat their Japanese counterparts by a difference of two goals if they want to be in the bronze medal playoff match.
On the other side the Japanese also need a victory in their final game against the Malaysians to qualify for the final as they had defeated the hosts, China 3-1 in their previous game played yesterday. The Greenshirts who defeated the Koreans in their previous
game are at the top spot with nine points and need just a draw against the arch-rivals Indians who need a victory to qualify for the final.
Stephan van Huizen, the manager of the Malaysian national squad, stated that they were just unlucky as they could not finish with three points in spite of some good efforts in the field.
“Two of our goals were disallowed by the umpire in the second-half ... otherwise we could have collected full points and be in the driving seat for the bronze medal playoff,” Stephan van Huizen stated in an interview.
“It just was not our day. But my boys played well and created several good chances,” he further added to his comments stating about the missed opportunities in the dying moments of the match.
“Now, we must not only beat Japan but must do it by two clear goals if we hope to finish at least fourth. It will be tough because Japan have a lot riding ... they need to beat us to book their place in the final,” Stephen van Huizen further stated about
their next match against the Japanese who showed some brilliant performances in the ongoing event especially against the Greenshirts as they defeated Pakistan by 3-1.
It will be interesting to see how the Malaysians play against the competitive Japanese hockey team.
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