Tigress Beat Indonesia 3-0 But Kumar Wants More Before Friday's Fifth-Place Clash With Thailand
Malaysia's women beat Indonesia 3-0 in Asian Games hockey classification and play Thailand for fifth on Friday, but coach CR Kumar was unhappy.
The Malaysian Tigress missed the Asian Games semi-finals but are still playing for something. They beat Indonesia 3-0 on Wednesday in the 5th-8th place classification at Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium and will play Thailand for fifth place on Friday.
The goals
- 20th minute: Zati Alyani Muhammad Zubir scored from open play
- 41st minute: Khairunnisa Ayuni Sharuddin scored from a penalty corner
- 55th minute: Khairunnisa Ayuni Sharuddin scored a second penalty corner
Antara reported that the first quarter was goalless and that Malaysia had 58 per cent of possession. Malaysia also won far more penalty corners than Indonesia.
Kumar not satisfied
Head coach CR Kumar was unhappy despite the clean sheet.
"Three goals was not our target against Indonesia because we missed many goal-scoring chances," Kumar said, according to reports. Reports said Malaysia converted only two of the many penalty corners they won, and Kumar wants that improved before Friday.
Malaysia are 21st in the world rankings and Indonesia are 39th, so a three-goal margin was below what the coach expected.
Fifth place matters
Kumar said a fifth-place finish is important for the team's hopes of reaching the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. Malaysia's women have never played at an Olympic Games. They have finished fifth at five straight Asian Games, starting with Doha 2006.
What Kumar wants to fix
Kumar's main concern is clear: his team created enough chances against Indonesia but did not finish enough of them. Against Thailand, a team that won a close game against Chinese Taipei to get here, Malaysia may not get as many chances, so penalty corner conversion is likely to decide the match.
Friday's opponents: Thailand
Thailand reached the fifth-place match by beating Chinese Taipei 2-1 in the other classification game on Wednesday.
- Malaysia vs Thailand (5th-6th place): Friday 2 October, 2pm Japan time (1pm Malaysia)
- Indonesia vs Chinese Taipei (7th-8th place): Friday, 11.30am Japan time
How the Tigress got here
Malaysia started the tournament with a 5-0 win over Kazakhstan. A defeat to South Korea ended their hopes of a semi-final place.
The medals will be decided on Friday. China play India for gold after beating Japan on penalties, and India beat South Korea 2-0 in the other semi-final. Japan and South Korea play for bronze.
The men's side
Malaysian hockey's biggest night of the Games could come tonight. The Speedy Tigers play South Korea in the men's semi-final at 6pm Malaysia time, with the final on Saturday. The Asian Games champions qualify directly for LA28.
Malaysia are 11th on the official medal standings with six golds, five silvers and 12 bronzes.
Key takeaways
- The Malaysian Tigress beat Indonesia 3-0 in the 5th-8th place classification on 30 September.
- Khairunnisa Ayuni Sharuddin scored twice from penalty corners, and Zati Alyani Muhammad Zubir scored the other goal.
- Coach CR Kumar was unhappy with the number of missed chances.
- Malaysia play Thailand for fifth place on Friday at 1pm Malaysia time.
FAQ
Who do the Tigress play next? Thailand, in the 5th-6th place match on Friday 2 October.
Can the Tigress still win a medal? No. They are in the 5th-8th classification after missing the semi-finals.
Who is in the women's final? China and India, on Friday 2 October.
Sources: Utusan Malaysia, Stadium Astro, Antara, iMedikel TV, Bernama, Aichi-Nagoya 2026 official results