South Korea ensured Canada returned without a win at the 2024 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup (PSAS) after beating the team 4-1 in the fifth and sixth place decider in Ipoh, this afternoon.
The result put Min Taeseok’s squad to finish the 30th PSAS campaign in fifth place while Canada was in sixth place.
In that action, Kong Yoonho opened the scoring in the 15th minute, followed by the explosion of Lim Dohyun who completed a penalty corner a minute later.
The Canadian goal continued to be torn apart in the second quarter, with Seo Inwoo’s turn scoring the third goal from a field goal in the 17th minute and Jung Hyunho finishing off a penalty corner (m-24) for South Korea’s fourth goal.
Canada got a consolation goal in the 50th minute through a penalty corner converted by Harbir Sidhu.
The win also extended South Korea’s winning record to 10 out of 13 meetings between the two teams since the 1988 Olympics in Seoul.
For the record, in the PSAS 2024 round robin action, South Korea was only able to win 1-0 over Canada last Tuesday (May 7).
After this, both teams will return to action at the Cup of Nations in Gniezno, Poland on May 31 to June 9.
SOUTH KOREA: MIN TAESEOK (COACH)
“Today we played well and I am happy because the players followed all the plans and tactics made. After this we returned to Korea to prepare for the Cup of Nations.
We also managed to finish off two penalty corners which gave us a goal out of the four we got.
The six games played here gave my players a very useful experience. Finally, thanks to MHC (Malaysian Hockey Confederation) and the Perak Hockey Association for organizing such a good tournament.”
CANADA : PATRICK TSHUTSHANI (COACH)
“I can make sure they (players) always have the spirit to fight but if you fail to hold the ball it will be difficult.
We started to lose energy and South Korea took advantage of that opportunity. Planning after this, we will go back to undergo a training session to prepare for the next tournament.
We learned a lot here and it gives the players experience to be more mature in the upcoming matches.
Our main focus in this squad is to qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games (LA28) after the last time we played in the Olympics was Tokyo 2020”.
The Speedy Tigers gave it their all in the 2024 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup (PSAS) third and fourth place decider, before losing 2-3 to New Zealand in Ipoh this afternoon.
Praise must be given to all the players of the national men’s hockey squad who showed a high level of fighting spirit throughout the 60 minutes of the game in front of nearly 5,000 Malaysian fans who came to fill the Azlan Shah Stadium.
Playing at home, Speedy Tigers started fiercely by opening the scoring curtain as early as the third minute through a field goal by Muhammad Azrai Aizad Abu Kamal when he cleverly finished off a stomach pass from Faizal Saari.
Azrai’s goals allowed him to collect a total of eight goals over the course of six matches at the 30th edition of the PSAS stage, thus being crowned as the tournament’s top scorer.
However, Malaysia’s advantage did not last long, when New Zealand came back with two goals through a penalty corner completed by Scott Cosslett two minutes later and Jonty Elmes (m-10).
The match was more interesting in the second and third quarters when both teams attacked each other and it entertained the spectators present, but no goals were produced.
Entering the fourth quarter, Malaysia missed an opportunity to equalize after Azrai failed to complete a stroke penalty in the 39th minute.
Instead, the Black Sticks doubled their lead through a penalty corner shot by Dane Lett in the 48th minute.
Shocked by the goal, Sarjit Singh used the ‘power play’ tactic and it yielded results for the second goal in the 59th minute through a field goal by Fitri Saari, but the revival was too late to prevent New Zealand’s victory.
The national head coach, Sarjit Singh admitted that he was satisfied with the seriousness and fighting spirit shown by his men in the match.
He explained that the defeat he received also did not make him disappointed because it was the process of forming the team.
“We started well at the beginning of the game but the control started to loose until we conceded two goals for a position of 2-1 but overall in the third and fourth quarter we controlled the game, the players also fought until the end of the game.
“Throughout the six games in this tournament, overall they played well and it was part of the lesson for us.
“It (penalty stroke failure) can happen to anyone but he (Azrai) has shown enough play. Like I said if we don’t take advantage of the opportunity, we have to accept it,” he said.
For the record, the last two meetings in Ipoh saw Malaysia win 6-4 over New Zealand in the round robin, last Tuesday and also a friendly 3-2 defeat of the team ranked 10th in the world.
In the meantime, the King and Queen of Perak, Tuanku Zara Salim agreed to go to the Azlan Shah Stadium to watch the match between Malaysia and New Zealand.
Meanwhile, New Zealand coach Greg Nicol is satisfied with the competition his team received throughout the tournament.
“An interesting experience and lesson that we got at this tournament. It’s been great for us in preparation for the Paris Olympics.
“An amazing tournament. Yes… we lost to Malaysia before and the players are eager to go down and win.
“There are some players who showed performance to be selected for Paris and we are still in the selection process with a total of 28 players to be evaluated. As I told before, after the Cup of Nations (in Poland) we will list the final list,” he said.
In the same development, the President of the International Hockey Federation (FIH), Datuk Tayyab Ikram has conveyed the eye injury to the President of the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC), Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal and the President of the Perak Hockey Association (PHP), Mohd Sayuti Abd Samad.
Japan managed to end a 37-year wait to lift the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup (PSAS) for the first time after defeating Pakistan 4-1 on penalties in the final action of the 30th edition of the tournament in Ipoh, tonight.
For the record, the best achievement achieved by the Samurai team since first participating in the tournament in 1987 is finishing in fourth place in the 2022 edition. This is the sixth time Japan has participated in this competition.
Japan before the PSAS campaign started had expressed high confidence to lift the championship for the first time since the organization of the tournament in 1983.
Down with their first championship mission, Japan started positively when they opened the scoring in the 12th minute through Seren Tanaka’s field goal.
The position was successfully maintained by the Samurai squad until the end of the first half to lead Pakistan 1-0.
Entering the third quarter, Pakistan showed an amazing revival when they scored two goals within four minutes through a field goal explosion by midfielder Ajaz Ahmad in the 34th minute, followed by a field goal by Abdul Rehman in the 37th minute.
But Japan rallied to equalize in the 47th minute thanks to a Kazumasa Matsumoto field goal to take the match to a penalty shoot-out to decide the winner after the action ended 2-2 in regulation time.
At the final action, the Queen of Perak, Tuanku Zara Salim was pleased to present the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup (PSAS) to the champion of the 30th edition, Japan.
Also present at the tournament were the Little King of Sulong Perak, Raja Ahmad Nazim Azlan Shah Raja Ashman Shah; Wealthy Treasurer His Majesty, General Datuk Seri Royal Tan Sri Dr Mohd Zahidi Zainuddin; President of the International Hockey Federation (FIH), Datuk Tayyab Ikram; The President of the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC), Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal and the Wealthy Treasurer of the Maharaja, General Datuk Seri Royal Tan Sri Dr Mohd Zahidi Zainuddin.
JAPAN: YOSHIHIRO ANAI (COACH)
“We managed to complete our mission in this tournament and I am very proud of all the players. It was a very interesting experience for us.
The most important thing that the players showed in this final action and throughout the match was the spirit of not giving up easily.
Pakistan is always a good team for Japanese team. They want to win the championship as much as we do, it’s a tough game against a team like Pakistan.
Our players took up the challenge to win this tournament and we learned a lot during this tournament.
The preparation for this team and also the tournament is only within a week. But I focus on the basic skills of each player and plan the best tactics.
Each player was given homework to achieve the given challenge and I am happy that they managed to fulfill it.”
PAKISTAN: ROELANT OLTMANS (COACH)
“We played as usual and should have won this match. There were so many chances for us to add to our goal tally but it didn’t go in our favour.
The first quarter we played well, as well as in the second quarter we created a lot of chances.
Japan was also much better in the third quarter and there is no doubt about that. They got what they deserved today.
If you are in the final, you must win the final. There is one thing. The team that wins here will not win the Cup of Nations and now we have a chance. We still have a lot to do after this.”
AWARDS
HIGHEST GOAL SCORE: MUHAMMAD AZRAI AIZAD ABU KAMAL (8 GOALS), MALAYSIA
BEST GOALKEEPER: TAKASHI YOSHIKAWA/ TAKUMI KITAGAWA (JOIN, JAPAN)
BEST PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT: SUFYAN KHAN (PAKISTAN)
FAIR PLAY TEAM: CANADA
MAN OF THE MATCH (FINAL): WAHEED ASHRAF RANA (PAKISTAN)
by Asia Hockey
