Hockey World Cup: Arul believes tactical discipline will be key for team to progress
SINAR DAILY REPORTER17 Jan 2023 06:26pm
Malaysia's Firhan Ashari dribbles past a Chilean player in their match at the Birsa Munda International Stadium in Rourkela on Monday. Malaysia beat Chile 3-2 in their FIH Men's Hockey World Cup Pool C match.
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After securing a hard-earned 3-2 victory against Chile in their seconbd Pool C match yesterday, the national team moved from Rourkela to Bhubaneswar for their final preliminary round match against New Zealand on Thursday, and Arul was quietly confident that much improved performances will surface as the tournament progresses.
In Bhubaneswar, the Malaysians will be looking to upstage New Zealand, who are ranked two spots above them in ninth in the FIH world rankings, to secure a playoff spot for a berth in the quarterfinals.
"Tactically, I must praise the players for their discipline. Even in the (4-0) defeat against the Netherlands, we explored some tactics to try and control the game. Against Chile we again made some tactical changes, and despite conceding the two goals - a field goal and a penalty corner - we did it with a high tactical discipline. If we continue this way, I am confident that we will progress," said Arul.
Malaysia, ranked 11th in the world, last progressed to the quarterfinals stage in the 2002 World Cup in Kuala Lumpur.
Arul said after a rest and a day travelling from Rourkela to Bhubaneswar, the team will conduct an analysis, including the players themselves analysing their game, as they plan for the final preliminary round match at the Kalinga Stadium on Thursday.
"We will have a training session at the Kalinga Stadium tomorrow, where we will finalise the tactics for the match against New Zealand," said Arul.
The Netherlands, who maintained their 100 per cent record after defeating New Zealand 4-0 yesterday, sit comfortably atop Pool C, followed by New Zealand in second, ahead of Malaysia on goal difference of a single conceded goal.
