{
  "id": 18433872,
  "title": "Bronze finish shows Speedy Tigers are moving in right direction, says coach",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/06/bronze-finish-shows-speedy-tigers-are-moving-in-right-direction-says",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-06T03:47:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/sports/football/2026/11/1571994/bronze-finish-shows-speedy-tigers-are-moving-right-direction-says"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "KUALA LUMPUR - National men's hockey coach Brendon Carolan expressed optimism about the Speedy Tigers' progress after they secured a bronze medal at the Asian Champions Trophy (ACT), despite not reaching the final. The team overcame a semi-final loss to Japan by defeating South Korea 5-2 in Mohali, Punjab. Fitri Saari opened the scoring, followed by Faizal Saari, Azrai Aizad Abu Kamal, and captain Marhan Jalil, who secured the win. Park Geun Woo and Chun Se Min scored for South Korea. Carolan highlighted that poor penalty corner conversion was a significant factor in their semi-final defeat against Japan. He acknowledged Japan's strong performance but emphasized that winning back-to-back medals is a positive step for the team. The coach mentioned that they will focus on the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup next, where they aim to expose a few players for the upcoming Olympic qualifiers. However, managing player fatigue will be a challenge, as the team will return to the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) immediately after the ACT.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR: National men's hockey coach Brendon Carolan said back-to-back podium finishes show the Speedy Tigers are moving in the right direction, despite failing to reach the final of the Asian Champions Trophy (ACT).",
  "key_points": [
    "Speedy Tigers win bronze at Asian Champions Trophy.",
    "Coach Brendon Carolan optimistic about team's progress.",
    "Focus on Sultan Azlan Shah Cup and Olympic qualifiers."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Securing consecutive medals signals a positive trajectory for the national squad as they prepare to test new talent ahead of the upcoming Olympic qualifying tournament.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}