Back to the drawing board for our hockey team

KUALA LUMPUR: It’s back to the drawing board for the Malaysian hockey team after losing two matches in a row in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh.

Coach Roelant Oltmans’ (pic) men lost 1-2 to South Korea on Wednesday at the Azlan Shah Hockey Stadium. On Tuesday, they went down 2-4 to five-time champions India.

With the two defeats, Malaysia have six points and must get at least a draw against Canada today to earn the right to play in the thirdplace playoff tomorrow.

Canada also have six points from four matches and are expected to give Malaysia a run for their money.

Regardless of today’s outcome, Malaysia can consider their campaign in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup very disappointing as they have not won the title since the tournament’s inception in 1983.

Oltmans admitted that Malaysia’s penalty corners did not work out as expected and the players wasted many chances.

And it was quite apparent as they team committed the same errors in defence and were a big let down in their penalty corner conversions despite getting the help of former world renowned Dutch drag flicker Taeke Taekema two weeks ago.

Malaysia earned nine penalty corners each in the matches against India and South Korea but only managed to score one each in the two matches.

“We will work on it before the FIH World Series Finals (at National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil from April 26-May 4),” said the Dutch coach.

“We gave a good fight to the Koreans and was pleased with the commitment shown by the players. I’m not too disappointed that we didn’t make the final. It happens,” added Oltmans.

India and S. Korea have 10 points each and have booked their places in the final with one match in hand.

India should beat winless Poland in the last round robin match while the Koreans face Asian Games gold medallists Japan next.