Malaysia’s hopes of defending the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup came to an end tonight. The Speedy Tigers crumbled to a 2-1 defeat against Japan who are through to the final for the first time in the history of the tournament.
By virtue of this win, Japan will join Pakistan in Saturday’s final as both teams have 10 points each. The Speedy Tigers, with six points, take on South Korea in the last pool match on Friday and their fate remains to be seen whether they play for the bronze medal or fifth and sixth placing.
National team head coach Sarjit Singh, said: “I think in the first two quarters we were a bit nervous. In the third quarter when we started pushing up, we were getting better and better. In the third and fourth quarters we had enough chances to secure the game.”
“But when you don’t score, that is what happens. But anyway, I think the boys played well. They fought until the last minute. We had three penalty corners in the last two minutes.”
“This is hockey and it is part of the match. I think Japan played well and defended well but we need to score to win and this we just did not do in the last quarter. There were many chances to even seal the game.”
Japan’s head coach Yoshihiro Anai said he is excited that the team had been unbeaten in four matches and also qualified for the final.
“But our focus now is on the match against Canada. We are not thinking beyond this. The team played a great game against Malaysia and we did not allow their top players from scoring. It was a tight defence and our forwards were busy in attacking mode. That was our game plan.”
The Speedy Tigers and Samurai Japan started the match on an aggressive note with both sides playing with great intensity. One outsmarting the other.
It was a crucial tie between Malaysia and Japan. The Japanese were fired-up to continue their winning streak in the tournament following wins over the South Koreans (2-1) and New Zealand (4-1), and a 1-1 draw against Pakistan.
All they needed to do tonight was put the final icing on the cake by defeating the Malaysians in front of an estimated 4,000 hockey-loving fans. A win over the defending champions would seal Japan’s entry into the final of this 30th edition for the first time in the history of the tournament since 1983, and did exactly that.
Kazumasa Matsumoto responded well to Japan’s clarion call by scoring the first goal in the 24th minute via free play as he sneaked the ball past goalkeeper Muhamad Hafizuddin Othman that sank the hearts of all Malaysians at the stadium.
The Malaysians did everything they could in search of the equaliser through the Saari brothers – Faizal and Fitri, leading scorer Muhamad Azrai Aizad Abu Kamal, Norsyafiq Sumantri and Muhajir Abd Rauf – all of whom were capable of turning on that magic touch in favour of Speedy Tigers, as they did in earlier matches.
But two men – Japanese goalkeepers Takumi Kitagawa and Takashi Yoshikawa – stood tall and were stumbling blocks to the Malaysians. Takumi featured in the first and third quarters while Takashi came in the second and fourth quarters.
Both keepers parried every shot that came their way.
In the 2022 edition of the tournament which the Malaysians emerged champions the Speedy Tigers defeated Japan 4-2 in a pool match.
But the Japanese defensive wall finally cracked open in the 31st minute. And it took the brilliance of Faizal who slammed the ball past Takumi to restore parity, Malaysia 1 Japan 1.
The celebrations, however, did not last long. Japan went ahead 2-1 through a brilliant solo effort by Taiki Takada in the 50th minute. Coach Sarjit Singh resorted to power play after this but nothing good came the way of Speedy Tigers.
The Speedy Tigers did not stop there and continued mounting pressure on Japan, earning four penalty corners in the last five minutes of regulation time. It was Takasi who kept the gates tightly closed.
