ASEAN Sea Games Korat, Thai

FORMER skipper S. Kuhan marked his return to the national hockey team by scoring a brace to help Malaysia thrash Myanmar 8-0 in their opening match at the Queen Sirikit Sports Centre in Pathumthani, Bangkok, yesterday.

The penalty corner specialist, who was dropped after the Doha Asian Games, opened accounts for Malaysia by converting a penalty in the third minute.

It took Malaysia’s second stringers another 19 minutes to double the lead when Kuhan scored from the penalty corner.

Hafifi Hafiz Hanafi made it 3-0 in the 28th minute before Mohd Riduan Nasir gave Malaysia a 4-0 half-time lead with a field goal four minutes later.

Myanmar nearly pulled one back but skipper Then Htay’s penalty stroke was saved by goalkeeper Khairulnizam Ibrahim in the 39th minute.

Malaysia’s other goals were scored by Mohd Sufian Mohd (46th and 50th) Mohd Amerrul Aziz (47th) and G. Sasitheran (64th).

Malaysia have lost the gold medal only once in the 1973 Games in Singapore.

Thailand and Singapore are the other teams in the competition, which is being played in a round-robin format.

Assistant coach V. Muraleedharan said the opening match was a good warm-up before they play Singapore today.