KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian men’s hockey team’s hopes of securing the first points in the qualifiers for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games were dashed when they were defeated 2-3 by China in a Group A match in Muscat, Oman last night.
The defeat added to the disappointment of the Malaysian squad, known as the Speedy Tigers, as they failed to avenge their previous 4-4 draw against the team led by Weng Haiqin in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games last year.
The dramatic action at the Oman Hockey Stadium witnessed the squad under A. Arul Selvaraj facing fierce competition from China early in the game before successfully breaking the deadlock with a field goal from Muhammad Azrai Aizad Abu Kamal in the 29th minute.
The Speedy Tigers’ joy was short-lived as the Chinese side levelled after Lin Changliang converted a penalty corner in the 31st minute, before making it 2-1 when Chao Jieming scored a field goal three minutes later.
The score was once again levelled at 2-2 when the Speedy Tigers successfully executed a penalty corner through Muhammad Razie Abdul Rahim in the 47th minute, but China managed to make a late surge, scoring a penalty corner through Gao Jiesheng in the 60th minute.
The Speedy Tigers are scheduled to meet Great Britain today.
The 2024 Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Muscat is the final stage for all teams to compete for a spot in the prestigious event, with the top three teams securing a slot.
The last time the national hockey squad qualified for the Olympics was in Sydney in 2000. – BERNAMA
