Nor Saiful "I think it was a drama today"

Malaysia's Young Tigers punched their ticket to the final of the 14th Sultan of Johor Cup (SOJC) after fighting back from a goal down to edge Pakistan 3–2 in a pulsating round-robin clash at the Taman Daya Hockey Stadium in Johor Bahru on Wednesday night (21 October).

It was far from comfortable for the hosts. They had already beaten China 3–0 on Sunday and Japan 4–2 on Tuesday, a match in which they also had to come from behind. Against Pakistan they trailed 2–1 at one stage and were forced to chase the game in search of an equaliser. The turning point came late on. Pakistan were reduced to eight players on the pitch after collecting a red card and two yellow cards, and Malaysia made the extra space count to find the decisive third goal. The victory extends the Young Tigers' perfect record to three wins from three in the five-team Under-21 tournament.

Coach Nor Saiful Zaini Nasiruddin admitted his side had let a number of good chances slip, especially in the first half. "We had plenty of chances in the first and second quarters, but we missed a lot of goals," he said. He added that the team, who had played the previous day, knew they might have to slow down a little in the third and fourth quarters because of tiredness.

"I think it was a drama today," said Nor Saiful. He pointed out that Pakistan had one player sent off and two others shown yellow cards, leaving three of them out of action. "Towards the end of the game, luck was a little on our side, because they only had eight players on the pitch and we had eleven. Then we got another goal, and it was 3–2."

Beyond the result, the coach was pleased with what the night will do for his young squad. He felt that coming from behind and handling a physical contest were valuable lessons. "I think they learned from it, these young players," he said. "And the good thing is that we have qualified for the final. I think it has been a long time since we were in the final at the SOJC. I would like to congratulate the players."

With a place in the final secured, the focus now shifts to managing the squad's workload. Nor Saiful said all 18 players will continue to be rotated, with each expected to contribute minutes on the pitch, and that nobody would be rested unless injured. He did hint that key men such as Adam and Nabil could be given a breather if minor muscle strains required it. "We will see whether they have small injuries that need rest, muscle strain, whatever," he said. "Maybe we will give them rest."

Malaysia close out their round-robin campaign against Canada on Friday (23 October), with the final a day later on Saturday (24 October). With the two matches back to back, Nor Saiful made his priorities clear. "We want to play in the final and against Canada, but with fewer injuries, and we do not want to be tired from back-to-back games," he said. He added that the Canada fixture is not the main focus.

As for who awaits in the final, Nor Saiful expects either Pakistan or Japan. The picture should become clear once their match is played ahead of Malaysia's. "Hopefully in the final, I think maybe we will meet Pakistan or Japan," he said. "They play first, and then we will know who we will meet in the final." For a young side that has now beaten China, Japan and Pakistan in successive matches, Saturday's final marks a long-awaited return to the stage, by the coach's own reckoning.

Credit Photo : Hokita