Malaysia blow 3-goal lead in 4-3 loss to New Zealand
KUALA LUMPUR: The national men's hockey team have taken a difficult path towards securing a semi-final slot at the 2025 FIH Hockey Nations Cup after falling 3-4 to New Zealand in their Group B clash at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil tonight.
Chasing their first win of the tournament, 13th-ranked Malaysia delivered a promising performance in the first half, taking the lead through a field goal by Akhimullah Anuar Esook in the 18th minute.
Malaysia then extended their advantage in the 38th minute with a penalty stroke converted by Fitri Saari, followed swiftly by a field goal from Muhammad Azrai Aizad Abu Kamal a minute later.
However, the momentum quickly shifted as Malaysia lost focus, allowing New Zealand to reduce the deficit with goals by Fin Ward (44th minute) and Simon Yorston (45th minute).
In the second half, Sean Findlay and Ward struck again in the 46th and 52nd minutes respectively, putting New Zealand ahead and crushing the hopes of the Speedy Tigers.
The result leaves Sarjit Singh's men with only one point, placing Malaysia third in the group. They now face a must-win encounter against bottom-placed Japan on Wednesday, and must do so by a significant margin.
Malaysia must also hope that second-placed Pakistan (four points) suffer a heavy defeat to group leaders New Zealand (six points).
The top two teams in each group advance to the semi-finals, while the bottom two will play for fifth to eighth place.
Meanwhile, head coach Sarjit expressed his displeasure with the result, which he said was partly due to cards shown by the umpires that disrupted Malaysia's momentum.
'Disappointment and frustration. This is obvious when you have full control of the match, and suddenly you lose 4-3. Before that, we were 3-0 up because we had full control. In managing the cards, we gave them an easy, easy victory. That's all I can say,' he said.
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Costly yellow card sinks Malaysia's hopes at Nations Cup
A yellow card to Mohammad Fitri Saari in Malaysia's Group B heartbreaking 4-3 defeat against New Zealand at the FIH Nations Cup 2025 yesterday was a costly mistake, according to Speedy Tigers head coach Sarjit Singh. The experienced Fitri should have stayed out of trouble to keep Malaysia's momentum alive in their hunt for a semi-final spot, Sarjit said. 'Hopefully, the boys know. I hope Fitri knows. I mean as a senior player you need to watch out on that because the team needs you. Because you are one of the main players in the team, but I don't want to blame anybody,' he told reporters after the match at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil here last night. A yellow card means a five-minute suspension, while a green card sidelines a player for two minutes. Defender Faiz Helmi Jali admitted that playing a man down disrupted Malaysia's flow, especially when they were controlling the game. 'It was a small slip-up. We were down to 10 players for nearly 15 minutes, and it was tough to hold the line. Spaces opened up, and New Zealand pounced. That yellow card really shifted the game. 'We're fired up now. We've yet to taste victory on home soil, so no matter what happens between Pakistan and New Zealand, we're going all out to win our last game,' Faiz Helmi said. Goalkeeper Mohd Hafizuddin Othman shared that the suspensions made his job tougher, facing a barrage of attacks from New Zealand, especially in the final quarter. 'We had a 3-0 lead at home, but those cards changed everything. Against a side like New Zealand, turnovers and open spaces hurt us badly,' he said. Malaysia, who led 3-0 at one stage, lost their grip after yellow cards to Fitri Saari (44th minute) and Muhajir Abdul Rauf (52nd minute), plus a green card to Syed Syafiq Syed Cholan (40th minute). New Zealand capitalised, firing in four goals (44', 45', 46', 52'). The loss leaves Malaysia with one point, sitting third in Group B. They now face a must-win showdown against bottom-placed Japan on Wednesday, while hoping Pakistan (four points) stumbles heavily against group leaders New Zealand (six points). Only the top two teams from each group advance to the semi-finals, with the bottom two fighting for fifth to eighth place.
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6 hours ago
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Malaysia blow 3-goal lead in 4-3 loss to New Zealand
KUALA LUMPUR: The national men's hockey team have taken a difficult path towards securing a semi-final slot at the 2025 FIH Hockey Nations Cup after falling 3-4 to New Zealand in their Group B clash at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil tonight. Chasing their first win of the tournament, 13th-ranked Malaysia delivered a promising performance in the first half, taking the lead through a field goal by Akhimullah Anuar Esook in the 18th minute. Malaysia then extended their advantage in the 38th minute with a penalty stroke converted by Fitri Saari, followed swiftly by a field goal from Muhammad Azrai Aizad Abu Kamal a minute later. However, the momentum quickly shifted as Malaysia lost focus, allowing New Zealand to reduce the deficit with goals by Fin Ward (44th minute) and Simon Yorston (45th minute). In the second half, Sean Findlay and Ward struck again in the 46th and 52nd minutes respectively, putting New Zealand ahead and crushing the hopes of the Speedy Tigers. The result leaves Sarjit Singh's men with only one point, placing Malaysia third in the group. They now face a must-win encounter against bottom-placed Japan on Wednesday, and must do so by a significant margin. Malaysia must also hope that second-placed Pakistan (four points) suffer a heavy defeat to group leaders New Zealand (six points). The top two teams in each group advance to the semi-finals, while the bottom two will play for fifth to eighth place. Meanwhile, head coach Sarjit expressed his displeasure with the result, which he said was partly due to cards shown by the umpires that disrupted Malaysia's momentum. 'Disappointment and frustration. This is obvious when you have full control of the match, and suddenly you lose 4-3. Before that, we were 3-0 up because we had full control. In managing the cards, we gave them an easy, easy victory. That's all I can say,' he said.
