Speedy Tigers face South Korea for Asian Champions Trophy bronze tonight at 7pm MYT

Malaysia's Speedy Tigers have one more match at the Asian Champions Trophy in Punjab, India. They face South Korea for the bronze medal tonight, Thursday 5 November, at 7pm Malaysia time (4.30pm in India). Hosts India then meet Japan in the final at 9.30pm MYT. Both matches are at the Olympian Balbir Singh Senior International Hockey Stadium in Mohali.

How Malaysia reached the bronze match

Malaysia made a strong start in the league stage in Jalandhar. They beat China 5-4 on 27 October, South Korea 3-1 on 29 October and Bangladesh 6-1 on 30 October. They then lost 4-2 to India on 1 November and 2-1 to Japan on 2 November. With three wins from five matches, they finished third in the six-team table behind India and Japan.

In Wednesday's semi-final, Malaysia and Japan were goalless after 60 minutes, and Japan won the penalty shootout 5-3. Nik Aiman Rozemi, Shello Silverius and Azrai Aizad Abu Kamal scored for Malaysia, while Faizal Saari's attempt was not converted. Head coach Brendon Carolan said in a video shared by the Malaysian Hockey Confederation that his side played positively but missed penalty corner chances at key moments.

Tonight's bronze: Malaysia v South Korea

Malaysia already have a win over South Korea at this tournament, 3-1 in Jalandhar on 29 October. After that match, Bernama reported that Carolan was pleased with the performance. Korea finished fourth in the league with wins over China and Bangladesh, before losing heavily to India in both the league (8-0) and the semi-final (8-1). Sangjun Han scored Korea's only goal in Wednesday's semi-final.

The bronze match gives Malaysia a chance to end the event with a medal after a campaign where they scored 17 goals in the league, second only to India. Carolan has said in recent days that finishing has been the side's main weakness. Japan held Malaysia scoreless in the semi-final, and Malaysia's attack will need to turn chances into goals against a Korean side they have already beaten.

The final: India v Japan

India go into the final as defending champions and the tournament's most successful team. They won all five league matches, including a 4-1 win over Japan on 30 October and an 8-0 win over South Korea. They then beat Korea 8-1 in the semi-final. Captain Harmanpreet Singh had reached 10 goals for the tournament after the semi-final, according to the Asian Hockey Federation. Japan reached the final through the shootout win over Malaysia, after finishing second in the league.

India have won the Asian Champions Trophy five times, including the 2023 and 2024 editions. The 2024 final ended with a 1-0 win over China.

Where to watch

In India, the matches are being shown on Star Sports Select 2 and streamed on JioHotstar. A Malaysian broadcaster for the knockout matches had not been confirmed in the sources we checked, so fans should check the Asian Hockey Federation's and the Malaysian Hockey Confederation's official channels for viewing options.

Key takeaways

• Malaysia play South Korea for bronze at 7pm MYT on Thursday 5 November in Mohali.
• India v Japan in the final starts at 9.30pm MYT.
• Malaysia lost their semi-final to Japan 5-3 on penalties after a 0-0 draw.
• Malaysia beat South Korea 3-1 in the league stage on 29 October.
• India are unbeaten and chasing another Asian Champions Trophy title.

FAQ

What time is Malaysia v South Korea in Malaysia? The bronze-medal match starts at 4.30pm India time, which is 7pm Malaysia time (MYT, UTC+8), on Thursday 5 November 2026.

Who did Malaysia beat in the league stage? Malaysia beat China 5-4, South Korea 3-1 and Bangladesh 6-1. They lost to India 4-2 and Japan 2-1.

Who plays in the final? Hosts and defending champions India play Japan at 7pm India time, which is 9.30pm MYT, in Mohali.

Sources: Asian Hockey Federation, Bernama, Khel Now, Outlook India, Luminews