INDIA: Malaysia prevailed 3-2 over New Zealand in their FIH Odisha Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023 Pool C match at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Thursday.
New Zealand overcame a two-goal deficit to level 2-2 with Malaysia in the final quarter. However, Malaysia scored in the 57th minute to win the closely-fought game.
Malaysia vs New Zealand
The Kiwis had a strong start, but the opponents’ aggressive hockey eventually subdued them until the third quarter. In the game’s final quarter, they showed some intent, but it was too late to affect the game.
Both teams gave each other a good fight during the first quarter, which was a tense affair. In the second and seventh minutes, Malaysia and New Zealand each received two penalty corners due to the aggression.
In the eighth minute, Saari Faizal scored for Malaysia, proving they were more opportunistic. Malaysia prevailed 1-0 after the first quarter.
The Asian team maintained their momentum and won a penalty corner in the 20th minute, but they could not take advantage of it. They had another opportunity for a penalty corner three minutes later, but Kiwi’s goalkeeper Dominic Dixon’s acrobatic effort prevented them from making it 2-0.
In the 36th minute, Malaysia won their fourth penalty corner to maintain their advantage over the Black Sticks, but the opposition’s solid defenders prevented them from scoring more.
In the 42nd minute, they demonstrated their dominance by winning their fifth and sixth consecutive penalty corners. Rahim Razie successfully converted the final one to give them a 2-0 lead through the third quarter.
The Kiwis made a last-ditch effort to get back into the game in the fourth and final quarter as the opposition became too comfortable with their lead.
Phillips Hayden narrowed the gap in the process in the 51st minute. In the following minute, they received another penalty corner, which Lane Sam converted into a goal for the equalizer.
Malaysia came back strong, and in the 56th minute, Saari Faizal scored a tricky goal to turn the score 3-2 in their favour. In the 57th minute of the match, the opposition’s first rusher foiled the Kiwis’ attempt to earn a penalty corner.
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