KUALA LUMPUR, May 14 — Malaysia’s winning streak came to an abrupt halt in their third Group A match of the 2024 Women’s Indoor Hockey Asia Cup when they went down 5-1 against Kazakhstan in Chonburi, Thailand, today.
Kazakhstan went 2-0 with two quick penalty corner goals by Viktoriya Labanova in the 12th minute and Balzhan Baisenbay in the 14th minute at the Thailand National Sport University.
Kazakhstan then made it 3-0 with a Viktoriya Lyapina field goal in the 23rd minute before Malaysia reduced the deficit five minutes later through defensive stalwart Fazila Sylvester Silin’s penalty corner goal.
But there was nothing the Malaysian girls could do as Lovanova and Baisenbay piled misery on the Malaysian Tigress with a penalty corner goal in the 33rd minute and a field goal a minute later, respectively.
National women’s indoor hockey head coach Mohd Rodzhanizam Mat Radzi admitted his players failed to keep the form they showed when they trounced Vietnam 25-0 and Oman 12-1 yesterday.
“Our players made simple mistakes and failed to convert our penalty corner set pieces. We must quickly work on our weaknesses ahead of our match against Iran (later today). Iran are another good team and we cannot take them lightly,” he said in a statement issued by the Malaysian Hockey Confederation.
Only the top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals.
— Bernama
