New Zealand defeat Malaysia, 3-2 in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup - Recap
New Zealand defeated Malaysia by 3-2, on the seventh day of the 20th Sultan Shah Cup, held at the Sultan Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh, Malaysia, on May 11, 2011.
The first-half concluded with a tie at 1-1. New Zealand was ruling over the host team during the first-half of the match. Soon, Malaysia received a chance to score in the eighth minute but was missed by their striker, Mohd Azammi Abadi.
Black Sticks responded to their opponents with a 12th minute attack by Nicholas Wilson, but the Malaysian goal-keeper, Roslan Jamaluddin denied the hit. In the very next minute, New Zealand returned into the defensive circle of Malaysia, but again
Roslan made a good save from Shay Neal’s shot.
A couple of minutes later, New Zealand received a penalty corner award that followed a timely deflection by Nicolas Mcleod, opening scores at 1-0, in the 15th minute of the game.
There were no additions to the score-board in the next fifteen minutes of the first-half, until Malaysia’s Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin reached the Black Stick defensive circle and made a hit that was collected by Muhd Izzat Mohd Rahim, who delivered a shot home
in the 30th minute, levelling the scores at 1-1.
The first-half of the match concluded with the scores locked at 1-1.
In the second-half, the ball possession continued in the hands of New Zealand as they received a 40th minute penalty corner. However, the execution was weak when Hugo Inglis made a run to a re-bound that was well saved by Baljit Singh’s timely
tackle.
In the 46th minute, Black Sticks re-appeared in the Malaysian defensive circle but Andrew Hayward’s flick went wide from the goal. Black Sticks kept receiving chances but were score-less due to their poor executions.
With 15 minutes left to the game, Malaysia took control of the ball but failed to avail a scoring opportunity. By that time, Black Sticks became aggressive and a 57th minute pass from Hugo Inglis was well attempted by Stephen Jenness into the
goal, breaking the lock at 2-1.
Malaysia tried hard but could not make it to their opponent’s 25-metre circle. On the other hand, New Zealand received their fourth penalty corner, in the 64th minute but the opportunity was wasted.
Finally, Malaysia was awarded a 67th minute penalty corner that was brilliantly converted by Faisal Saari, equalising the scores at 2-2, in the 68th minute.
The host team was in hope of outreaching their target of ending among the top four teams, but a sudden last minute penalty corner to New Zealand ruined their plans. With 17 seconds left for the game to end, a timely re-bound by Steven Edwards, sealed the
match for the Black Sticks with a 3-2 score.
Malaysia has missed to qualify for the next round, despite a spirited performance by the home side.
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