IPOH – New Zealand goalkeeper George Enersen admitted that it was mentally challenging for him and his defenders to overcome Malaysia’s attacks in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup third and fourth classification match at the Azlan Shah Stadium yesterday.
The Black Sticks, who introduced Enersen instead of regular custodian Dominic Dixon, saw the 32-year-old Olympian making 35 saves in the four-quarter match against the Speedy Tigers.
Enersen said that his self-motivation helped him and his defensive line emerge triumphant, defeating the world number 12 side 3-2 to settle for a bronze at the invitational tournament.
“This was by far one of the toughest games I have played in this tournament. The Malaysian team was really quick with their attacks throughout the match.
“My mental strength was pushed to the maximum as I had to make several back-to-back saves to keep us alive in the match.
“Though it was exhausting, I kept motivating myself to ensure I didn’t give up. On top of that, I also ensured that my defensive line shared the same hunger and urge to win the match as me.
“Overall, I’m happy that we managed to overcome such a tough side, and I hope that we learn from the experiences in this tournament and polish ourselves more for this year’s Paris Olympics,” said Enersen in a post-match conference yesterday.
New Zealand qualified for Paris after securing a thrilling 3-2 victory over Pakistan for the bronze medal in the qualifying tournament in Oman.
At the same time, head coach Greg Nicol said he was satisfied with his side’s finish at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.
He further commended the performances of Malaysia’s Azrai Aizad Abu Kamal throughout the tournament, which saw the 24-year-old emerging as the top scorer with a total of eight goals scored in six matches.
“I have been watching Azrai play in the tournament over the past week, and he has been amazing with everything he does on the turf.
“I remember him punishing us once in the pool match where we lost the game 6-4, and I’m happy we didn’t allow him to cause us too much damage in the classification match.
“As a whole, the youngsters in the team did a good job as we got ready for the Nations Cup and Paris Olympics. We will get back home, take a few days’ rest, and get back to training,” said Nicol.
The Nations Cup is scheduled to take place in Poland from May 31 to June 9, with the Black Sticks being grouped with Austria, South Korea, Poland, and South Africa in Pool A. – May 12, 2024