Coach Kumar unhappy as Malaysia struggle past Bangladesh at Asian Games

Kuala Lumpur - National women's hockey coach C.R. Kumar expressed disappointment after Malaysia's team struggled against Bangladesh in a Group A match at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. The match, held in Gifu today, saw Malaysia lose 3-1 to their 85th-ranked opponents. The Speedy Tigresses, ranked 21st in the world, failed to establish control in the early minutes, falling behind in the 25th minute to a goal by Kona Akter.

However, they managed to recover in the second half, scoring twice through Nuramirah Shakira Zulkifli in the 40th and 59th minutes, and a goal by Zati Alyani Zubir in the 44th minute.

Kumar noted that while the team pressed hard, they were not clinical in front of the goal. Bangladesh, on the other hand, were quick to counter attacks. Kumar also highlighted the team's tendency to concede early goals as a major issue. His side managed to convert only one of their seven penalty corner opportunities, and failed to convert a penalty stroke.

Looking ahead, Kumar expressed concern about Malaysia's upcoming match against the defending champions and world No. 4 China. The Chinese team, coached by Alyson Annan, has dominated the competition so far, winning silver at the 2024 Paris Olympics and the Asia Cup title in Gongshu last year. They have thrashed Malaysia and Taiwan in their opening two matches, with a convincing 13-0 win over Bangladesh.