Malaysia under pressure for Asian Games after World Cup nightmare

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian national hockey team faces mounting pressure as they prepare for the upcoming Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, set to commence on September 19. The team's world cup performance in Belgium was a devastating failure, with Malaysia finishing at the bottom of 16 teams, securing only two draws and enduring four losses.

A notable loss was the 2-1 defeat to world-ranked No. 18 Wales in a penalty shootout following a 2-2 draw during their 15th-place match. This decline in the team's ranking to 15th place has undoubtedly shaken the players' morale ahead of the Asian Games.

The burden now lies on the national team to regain their lost glory and pride following the World Cup debacle. Coach Brendon Carolan's men must perform exceptionally well at the Asian Games, as Malaysia's historical worst World Cup performance would be a significant blow to the team's reputation. A gold medal in the Asian Games would qualify Malaysia for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Malaysia's only previous appearance in the Asian Games final was in Indonesia in 2018, where they lost to Japan in a penalty shootout after a 6-6 draw.

Twelve teams will participate in the Asian Games, with Malaysia being placed in Group B alongside world-ranked No. 12 Pakistan, China (No. 20), Oman (No. 25), Uzbekistan (No. 46), and Thailand (No. 48). The defending champions, India, ranked eighth in the world, will join Group A with world-ranked No. 17 Japan, South Korea (No. 23), Bangladesh (No. 28), Sri Lanka (No. 38), and Indonesia (No. 58).

Former India coach K. Baskaran expressed his belief that Asian teams lack the same level of pride and determination compared to their European counterparts. Despite Malaysia's dismal World Cup performance, Baskaran expressed optimism, stating his belief that the team can still secure a top-two finish in their group, potentially advancing to the semi-finals.