KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 (Bernama) — Malaysia’s national women’s hockey team are undergoing high-intensity training in preparation for the 2024 Women’s Asian Champions Trophy (ACT), which will kick off on Nov 11 in Rajgir, India.
Head coach Mohd Nasihin Nubli Ibrahim said that the pressure-driven approach was adopted due to the team’s difficulty in maintaining momentum when facing pressure in actual matches, making it easier for opponents to gain an advantage.
“We lack the mindset of mental warriors, so we’ve incorporated high-pressure training, exposing the players to situations where they must play under stress.
"We want them to stay focused until the end of each match, no matter the circumstances,” he said at the jersey launch ceremony for the national Women’s Hockey and Men’s and Women’s Indoor Hockey teams at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil here today.
Mohd Nasihin added that the team is now in the final stages of preparation for the prestigious tournament, which will take place from Nov 11 to 20.
The Malaysian Tigress will kick off their ACT 2024 campaign against hosts India on Nov 11, followed by China (Nov 12), South Korea (Nov 14), Japan (Nov 16), and Thailand (Nov 17). Only the top four teams will advance to the semifinals.
Although Malaysia face a challenging path from the first match, Mohd Nasihin sees it as an opportunity for the team to make a concerted effort to challenge the world’s top hockey teams.
“Last year, we lost 0-5 to India, but that’s an improvement over the 0-9 defeat in 2022. We’re gradually building this squad. A win would be a bonus, but we must stay grounded and understand where Malaysia ranks. We should view this as a valuable experience,” he explained.
Last year, Malaysia finished the ACT campaign in fifth place after a 1-0 victory over Thailand in the fifth-place classification match in Ranchi, India.
-- BERNAMA
