KUALA LUMPUR – National men’s hockey head coach Sarjit Singh admitted his side lacked the clinical edge and physical sharpness needed to reach the semi-finals of the FIH Nations Cup, despite a 2-1 win over Japan in their final Group B match at the National Hockey Stadium today.
Malaysia finished third in the group with four points, missing out on a semi-final berth to Pakistan on goal difference.
“We knew we needed a two-goal margin—either 2-0 or 3-2—in the last four minutes,” Sarjit told reporters after the match.
“We kept telling the boys that the third goal was crucial. We created the chances, but luck wasn’t on our side. The opportunities from Marhan Jalil and Fitri Saari—I still don’t know how those didn’t go in.”
The former Olympian lamented a costly defensive lapse that allowed Japan back into the game.
“We controlled most of the match, except for one moment near the sideline when our player tried to beat his marker instead of clearing the ball. They capitalised. Even then, we had two chances to make it 3-1, which would’ve taken us to a shootout with Pakistan. But that’s hockey.”
Despite falling short of their target, Sarjit praised the team’s performance and urged the players to stay focused ahead of Friday’s classification match against South Africa.
“Our goal was the semifinals, but finishing fifth is still important,” he said. “We need to regroup, beat South Africa, and keep improving.”
He acknowledged that the squad is still developing, and pointed to clear progress since the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup last year and their recent tour of China.
“We’re not yet at the level of South Korea, Japan or China—not because of skill, but fitness. Their conditioning is three times better. That’s the benchmark. But we’re moving in the right direction, and Kim Sang-ryul is closely monitoring our progress.”
Sarjit also highlighted ongoing issues in penalty corner execution, noting that Muhammad Syed Shafiq Syed Cholan was the only available specialist after Muhammad Arif Syafie Ishak was sidelined through injury.
“We’re short on options. We brought in Muhammad Andy Muhammad Azyat, but we need to develop more drag-flickers and reinforce all areas.”
He praised emerging players such as Azrai Aizad Abu Kamal and Norsyafiq Sumantri but admitted that squad depth—particularly in midfield—remains a concern.
“When I took over, only Fitri, Faizal Saari, and Marhan were consistently reliable. Now we have five solid defenders, but when we rotate the midfield, performance drops. This is the pace of modern hockey—fast and relentless. We must stay sharp.” — June 18, 2025
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