IPOH – Will Malaysia get its revenge against Pakistan?
The turf is all set for the Speedy Tigers to take on Pakistan in the opening clash of the Sultan Azlan Shah tournament tomorrow, following their last meet at the Paris Olympics qualifiers in Oman in January.
The Speedy Tigers fought hard, but they were not good enough to overcome the resilience of the Flying Green Horses in a thrilling match that ended 3-3, leading to both teams failing to make it to the world’s biggest multisport event.
Malaysia’s last victory against Pakistan came in a 3-1 win in the Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai, India.
Speaking to Scoop, veteran player Marhan Jalil said that missing out on the Paris Olympics was a bitter pill to swallow, as the team had put in so much effort over the years to prepare themselves for the grand event.
However, the experienced 34-year-old midfielder, who has made a total of 302 appearances for the national team since 2011, said that the Speedy Tigers, under the tutelage of head coach Sarjit Singh, have moved on from the debacle and hope to have a fresh start in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.
“It was indeed painful, but we have moved on from it, and we want to push ourselves to the maximum in our opening clash against Pakistan.
“They are a strong side on paper, but we also have the quality with us and can emerge victorious against them if we put in the effort.
“The training and friendlies that we have played over the weeks have been great, and I’m hoping to see us begin our campaign well against Pakistan,” said Marhan when met.
At the same time, Sarjit also echoed a similar sentiment, saying that his team has the potential to pull off a commendable performance against the world number 15 side.
“Anything can happen on the turf, and I have full trust in my boys that they will deliver.
“They have shown what they are capable of by putting on a commendable performance in their friendly matches against New Zealand and South Korea over the past two days.
“Hence, I totally believe that they can show up in their crucial opening fixture against Pakistan,” said Sarjit.
Malaysia bounced back twice to beat Paris Olympics-bound New Zealand 3-2 and fought hard in a 2-1 defeat to South Korea in their last two warm-up matches prior to the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.
Meanwhile, Pakistan head coach Roelant Oltmans has no high hopes for his charges in this year’s tournament, citing that his team is also a young team similar to their opponents.
“I’m not hoping much from my boys in the tournament as I just want them to develop as much as they can and play their best by rubbing shoulders with the top teams.
“Our team is also as young as the Malaysian team, hence, I need to give my boys the time they need to elevate their game. But my boys have the potential, and I’m hoping for them to have a decent finish in the tournament by doing well against our opponents,” said Roelant.
For the record, Pakistan has made 15 appearances in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup and has won the tournament thrice (1999, 2000, and 2003) since its inception in 1983.
The Speedy Tigers currently ranked 13th in the world with 1,828.27 points. – May 3, 2024