Siti to lead women’s hockey team in Donghae

KUALA LUMPUR: Siti Noor Amarina Ruhani is the pillar of the Malaysian women’s hockey team.

The 31-year-old from Penang, who has represented Malaysia for the last 13 years, will marshal the defence and also deliver goals from penalty corners in the Asian Champions Trophy, which begins today at the Sunrise Stadium in Donghae, South Korea.

Five teams will feature in the tournament and Malaysia – ranked world No. 22 – will open their campaign against the Koreans today.

In the last Asian Champions Trophy in Singapore in 2016, Malaysia also faced the Koreans in the opening match and were beaten 5-2.

Siti, who has been the captain of the Malaysian team since 2014, said that they are ready to take on the speedy Korean team.

“The Koreans are ranked ninth in the world and they play a fast attacking game and we have to be on our toes throughout the match.

“The Koreans are also using the tournament to prepare for next month’s World Cup in London,” said Siti, who has represented Malaysia 187 times.

“We’ve never beaten them in the tournament. The challenge for us is to defend well and also score goals against them.

“In the last Asian Champions Trophy in Singapore two years ago, we upset Japan 2-0 in the round-robin match.

“And I want my teammates to rise to the occasion and get the better of them,” said Siti, who scored a goal against Japan in the 2016 tournament in Singapore.

In the last tournament, Malaysia finished fifth and last with one win over Japan.

Siti, who is featuring in her third Asian Champions Trophy, said their mission in Korea is to finish in the top four.

“Although we’re the lowest ranked team in the tournament, we must give our best in every match,” said Siti.