JOHOR BAHRU, Oct 21 (Bernama) -- National junior hockey squad head coach Nor Saiful Zaini Nasiruddin has acknowledged that poor finishing and failure to convert penalty corners are among the areas that need improvement ahead of Saturday's 2026 Sultan of Johor Cup (SOJC) final.
He said Malaysia had several scoring opportunities but failed to convert them, particularly in the first half, despite beating Pakistan 3-2 to secure a place in the final.
"We had many opportunities in the first and second quarters, but managed to score only one goal. We should have scored two or three goals at that stage.
"We also had five penalty corners, but none resulted in a goal. These are among the weaknesses we need to review through match video recordings," he said at a post-match press conference at the Johor Hockey Stadium in Taman Daya here tonight.
However, Nor Saiful said he was satisfied with the victory, particularly as the players bounced back after Pakistan narrowed the goal gap. He said this showed their ability to handle pressure in a competitive match.
He added that the win also provided valuable experience for several players who had beaten Pakistan for the first time. It also tested the team's ability to recover and secure victory.
On Malaysia's tactical approach, he said the team had tried to avoid playing through the middle to counter Pakistan's compact formation, which was designed to intercept the ball and launch counter-attacks.
"We tried to play out wide and avoid using the middle too much because Pakistan has a strong defensive line that can intercept the ball and counter-attack.
"That approach did yield results, but our finishing was still poor. We need to improve our ability to change the direction of attacks, earn penalty corners and make accurate attempts on goal," he said.
He added that the players also needed to improve ball possession under pressure. They began losing possession in the third quarter, allowing Pakistan to regain control of the game.
Meanwhile, Nor Saiful said Malaysia would use the match against Canada as preparation for the final, while monitoring the players' fitness and minimising the risk of injury.
He said the team was also working to secure midfielder Adam Ashraf's availability for the final. He described Adam as a key player and the team's main playmaker.
"Adam is one of our best players and we really need him for the final because he plays an important role in orchestrating the game in midfield.
"We are trying to see if he can join the team for the final, although he is likely to miss the match against Canada as he has to join the national team," he said.
Malaysia advanced to the final after defeating Pakistan 3-2 in last night's match.
-- BERNAMA