By Tony Mariadass

A different mindset approach is required by the Malaysian team against Korea in the semifinals of the Asian Champions Trophy (ACT) hockey tournament at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai tomorrow evening.

While confidence must be running high among the Malaysian players although by a narrow solitaty goal with scored by Azrai Abu Kamal on Thursday in their final Group match, national coach Arul Anthoni Selvaraj underlined the fact that the team cannot be overconfident.

“With doubt Korea will be coming at us like wounded Tigers to avenge the defeat,” Arul told Apa Khabar today.

“We will approach the game against Korea the same way as we did on Thursday, but the only difference will be the mindset approach. The game approach will be the same,” said Arul.

“The mindset approach is to guide the players on how to approach the game in a different mindset.

“We we have beaten them, so they are considered as wounded and will come back harder, more aggressive and wanting to win more 50-50 balls.

“We have to approach the game not thinking about protecting the win earlier, but having won the game against them earlier, we need to go in with more confidence to win the game, instead of protecting the first win. That’s the mindset we have to go into the game – with more believe of beating them again.”

Probably easier said than done, because Korea will definitely be coming out with their guns blazing.

Although Malaysia had done well in defending to keep the one goal lead intact on Thursday, Malaysia will have double their efforts now, especially with a place in the final at stake.

Fresh on the minds of the Koreans will also be the 2-3 defeat in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup final in November last year.

It is going to be nothing short of an explosive match and the team who keep their nerves under check, show character and execute the chances created with precision, will definitely have a slight edge.

Asian Champions Trophy 2023 hockey group stage results and scores:

August 3, Thursday
Korea 2 Japan 1
Malaysia 3 Pakistan 1
India 7 China 2

August 4, Friday
Korea 1 Pakistan 1
China 1 Malaysia 5
India 1 Japan 1

August 6, Sunday
China 1 Korea 1
Pakistan 3 Japan 3
Malaysia 0 India 5

August 7, Monday
Japan 1 Malaysia 3
Pakistan 2 China 1
Korea 2 India 3

August 9, Wednesday
Japan 2 China 1
Malaysia 1 Korea 0
India 4 vs Pakistan 0

Asian Champions Trophy 2023 hockey knockout/classification round:

August 11, Friday
Pakistan (Fifth place game – Fifth in group) vs China (Sixth in group)
Semi-final 1 – Malaysia (Second in group) vs Korea (Third in group)
Semi-final 2 – India (First in group) vs Japan (Fourth in group)

August 12, Saturday
Third place game – Loser semi-final 1 vs Loser semi-final 2
Final – Winner semi-final 1 vs Winner semi-final 2