PETALING JAYA: National hockey team head coach Sarjit Singh remains confident that Malaysia can bounce back and deliver a strong performance at the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Despite ending their Sultan Azlan Shah Cup campaign in fourth place again, Sarjit hopes that the team can turn things around before the qualifiers take place from Feb 28-March 8.
New Zealand edged Malaysia 6-1 in the bronze medal match in Ipoh on Sunday, but Sarjit said the result highlighted areas for growth and focus over the coming months.
“In a way, we can clearly identify our mistakes, particularly in defence,” he said.
“The key now is figuring out how to improve. We have about three months to get the team in peak shape for the qualifiers.”
While acknowledging gaps in the defensive line, Sarjit praised the forwards and midfielders for their strong performances.
“Our forwards are capable, but in this tournament, the finishing just didn’t go our way.
“That can happen, and it’s something we’ll work on,” he added.
Malaysia only managed to score eight goals in the competition last week, a stark contrast to Belgium who scored 16, while India scored 12 goals.
However, the defensive lapse is obvious as Malaysia conceded 27 goals after six matches in Ipoh.
Besides the third-fourth placing match against New Zealand, Malaysia also suffered a 9-1 thrashing by Belgium.
