JOHOR BAHRU: Malaysia’s junior hockey head coach Nor Saiful Zaini Nasiruddin has identified poor finishing and ineffective penalty corners as key areas for improvement ahead of the final of the 2026 Sultan of Johor Cup (SOJC) on Saturday.
Despite Malaysia’s 3-2 victory over Pakistan to secure a place in the final, Nor Saiful said his players failed to capitalise on several scoring opportunities, particularly in the first half.
“We created many chances in the first and second quarters but managed to score only once. We should have scored two or three goals during that period.
“We also earned five penalty corners but failed to convert any of them. These are weaknesses we need to review through match footage,” he said at a post-match press conference at the Johor Hockey Stadium in Taman Daya last night.
Nevertheless, Nor Saiful expressed satisfaction with the victory, praising his players for responding well after Pakistan narrowed the deficit and for maintaining their composure under pressure.
He added that the match provided valuable experience for several players who had never beaten Pakistan before, while testing the team’s ability to recover from difficult situations and protect their lead.
On tactics, Nor Saiful said Malaysia had focused on attacking through the flanks rather than the middle to counter Pakistan’s compact defensive formation and its ability to launch counter-attacks.
The approach produced some positive results, but he stressed that the team needed to improve its finishing, switch the direction of attacks more effectively, win penalty corners and deliver more accurate shots on goal.
He also highlighted the need to strengthen ball possession under pressure, particularly after Malaysia lost control of the game during the third quarter, allowing Pakistan to regain momentum.
Ahead of the final, Malaysia will use its match against Canada as an opportunity to prepare, with the coaching staff prioritising players’ fitness and minimising the risk of injuries.
Nor Saiful also said the team was working to secure the availability of midfielder Adam Ashraf, whom he described as a key player and an important playmaker.
“Adam is one of our best players, and we need him for the final because he plays an important role in organising our midfield.
“We are assessing whether he can join us for the final, although he may miss the match against Canada as he needs to join the national team,” he said.
Malaysia booked its place in the final after defeating Pakistan 3-2 in their latest group-stage encounter.
-AWANI
