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Malaysia team learn more from Murugappa Gold Cup

Malaysia team learn more from Murugappa Gold Cup

KUALA LUMPUR: The national junior hockey team continued to gain match experience at the 96th All India MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup in Chennai recently.
They lost to Indian Navy 4-1, edged Central Board of Direct Taxes 4-3, lost 2-0 to Indian Oil Corporation and drew 3-3 with Hockey Karnataka.
The national juniors finished fourth in their group and failed to qualify for the semi-finals.
The Malaysian team are preparing for the Under-21 Junior World Cup (JWC) in Chennai and Madurai, India, from Nov 28-Dec 10.
Coach Nor Saiful Zaini said his boys gained valuable experience, playing against senior players in the Murugappa Gold Cup.
"The team need to improve their fitness. We need to play 40 matches before the JWC. To date we have played 13 matches — four matches in the Murugappa Cup, six against Liaoning Province in China, one against the national senior team and two against club sides.
"We will either go to China or Australia to play more matches in preparation for the JWC," said Saiful.
Malaysia are drawn in Group E with the Netherlands, England and Austria in the JWC.
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