Asia Cup 2009 :: What must Malaysia do to do well at the Asia Cup?

Consistency and clinical finishing are what Malaysia will have to produce if they plan to do well in the Asia Cup, which begins at the Kuantan Hockey Stadium here today.

The stakes are indeed high for the seven teams – defending champions India, Pakistan, Japan, China, Bangladesh, South Korea and Malaysia – because the winner of the Asia Cup will automatically qualify for next year’s World Cup in New Delhi.

And for the teams who do not win the title, they’ll need to finish in the top five to earn places in the World Cup qualifiers in November.

Thus, from the word go, Malaysia and the other six teams will have little room for mistakes.



What makes this tournament even more intriguing is that at least five teams – Malaysia, India, Japan and former champions Pakistan and South Korea – are capable of making the final.

For Malaysia, three teams stand in their way to a semi-final berth. Those three are their Group A rivals South Korea, Japan and Bangladesh.

Defending champions India, Pakistan and China are in Group B.

National interim coach Tai Beng Hai knows the score and feels that Malaysia have what it takes to get the job done.

Malaysia, who finished second in the recent Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, have made three changes to that team.

Back in the team are experienced midfielder Jiwa Mohan, who quit last year, and Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin and goalkeeper Mohd Fairus Wanasir, who have both recovered from their injuries.

Judging from their performance in Ipoh, Malaysia’s problems are simply a lack of ideas up front, poor conversion rate of penalty corners, lapses in defence and an inability to hold on to their lead.

Beng Hai and his assistant Nor Saiful Zaini have done well to improve the players’ fitness level and the players are also showing greater confidence in their set-piece moves.

With Jiwa’s inclusion, the national team will now have another option in the penalty-corner set-pieces. Mohd Amin Rahim remains their main flicker while Engku Abdul Malek is an effective hitter.

Jiwa’s experience and versatility will be an added asset to the team.

But it is the forward line of Ismail Abu, Chua Boon Huat (pic), Tengku Ahmad and Azlan Misron who will carry the burden of getting the goals, if not the penalty corners.

The defence has done well but they have to stay focused for the whole duration of matches and not switch off towards the tail-end of games.

C. Baljit Singh has developed into a good defensive player and his run-outs while defending penalty corners are certainly a plus point.

“Our playing structure is fine and we also have good variations. If the players can execute their moves well I am confident we can beat all the teams here.

“But it is the players who have to carry out our instructions on the pitch and I hope they stick to the game plan,” said Beng Hai.

Malaysia open their campaign against South Korea today, followed by Bangladesh and Japan.

A winning start will be just the right tonic for Malaysia.

And it is not too tall an order considering that the Koreans only began their preparations a month go.

The Koreans always play a fast game and fight till the end. Their playing structure is simple and their counter attacks very effective.

Besides South Korea, India and Pakistan are the other real contenders for the title.

Pakistan have won the Asia Cup three times from 1982, 1985 and 1989 while the Koreans were champions in 1994 and 1999. The last two editions have been won by the Indians.

All said, the best of Asia will be on parade in Kuantan and the winner will get an early chance to seal their World Cup berth.