KUALA LUMPUR – National men’s hockey team head coach Sarjit Singh praised the mental strength of his men after defeating Monchengladbach Hockey Club 9-2 in a European Tour friendly series match yesterday.
According to Sarjit, it is not easy for a team to bounce back, especially after suffering a big 10-1 defeat at the hands of Germany last Sunday.
“The positive thing that can be seen is the character of the players who did not lose heart despite losing by a big goal margin when they met Germany.
Despite the big loss in the last game, the players managed to bounce back in today’s game and it was not an easy thing,” he said in a statement shared by the Malaysian Hockey Confederation to the media today.
Earlier in the match held at Gladbach Hockey and Tennis Club, four Speedy Tigers goals were scored by Faizal Saari in the 35th, 42nd, 46th and 59th minutes, while the other five goals were scored by other players, namely Azimuddin Syakir (3′), Shello Silverius (32′ ), Norsyafiq Sumantri (40′), Alfarico Lance Liau (52′), and Fitri Saari (57′).
Sarjit also admitted that his team played well and moved as a unit yesterday.
He said that the two matches held in Germany were eye-openers, as he was able to identify the level of ability of his men, especially when facing such tough opponents.
“The intensity of the match is very high and we are aware that this kind of match can improve the level of the national team’s game,” he said.
In the meantime, Sarjit said the two matches his team will play in the Netherlands next are not easy tasks, but it is the best opportunity for Speedy Tigers to play with a very high quality team.
“They need to take the opportunity to improve their skills, physical abilities, and understanding of the concept of the game at the international level.
“We want them to learn and mature as quickly as possible, especially for young players,” he said.
The Speedy Tigers will now continue the European tour series against the Netherlands on July 12 before concluding the series against India on July 14. – July 10, 2024