Speedy Tigers vs South Korea Tonight: Carolan Wants Calm Heads With a Final and an LA28 Ticket in Sight
Unbeaten Malaysia meet four-time champions South Korea at 6pm today in the Asian Games hockey semi-final, with the gold medallist booking a place at LA28.
Malaysia's Speedy Tigers are one win away from an Asian Games final. Brendon Carolan's side take on South Korea in the men's hockey semi-final at Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium in Kakamigahara tonight. The pushback is at 7pm Japan time, which is 6pm in Malaysia.
Malaysia won all five of their Pool B matches to top the group. South Korea finished second in Pool A after a 3-2 win over hosts Japan on 28 September. Yang Ji-hoon scored twice in that match, from a penalty corner and a penalty stroke, and Lim Jin-kang added a fourth-quarter penalty stroke.
What is at stake
The stakes go beyond a medal. The Asian Games champions qualify directly for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, which spares the winners a long qualifying campaign before the Games. Tonight's winners will also be guaranteed at least silver.
- Semi-final 1: India vs Pakistan, 4.30pm Japan time (3.30pm Malaysia)
- Semi-final 2: Malaysia vs South Korea, 7pm Japan time (6pm Malaysia)
- Bronze medal match: Saturday 3 October, 3.30pm Malaysia time
- Gold medal match: Saturday 3 October, 6pm Malaysia time
Carolan: manage the emotions
Carolan has been in charge since March, when the Malaysian Hockey Confederation brought him in to replace Sarjit Singh. He has said the knockout stage is as much a mental test as a tactical one.
"A knockout match is about how we manage emotions and ensure players are physically ready, calm and prepared to deliver a performance," Carolan said, as quoted by Kosmo.
He made a similar point after the 5-0 win over China that confirmed top spot in Pool B. "It does not matter who we play in the semi-finals. What matters is that my players are physically ready," he said, according to Scoop.
The Speedy Tigers have already shown they can stay calm under pressure. They came from three goals down to beat Pakistan 5-4 in the pool stage, and Carolan credited the players' resilience for that comeback.
Faizal Saari leads the scoring
Veteran forward Faizal Saari, 35, scored nine goals in the five pool matches. He returned to the national team in November 2025 and has been Malaysia's main attacking threat in Japan.
On paper Malaysia start as slight favourites. Kosmo reported that Malaysia are 14th in the world rankings and South Korea are 19th. Rankings only go so far against South Korea, though. They have won Asian Games hockey gold four times, in 1986, 1994, 2002 and 2006.
Why tonight matters for the medal table
Malaysia go into today 11th on the official medal standings with six golds, five silvers and 12 bronzes. The national record is nine golds, set at Guangzhou 2010. Malaysia need three more golds to equal it and four to break it. A hockey gold on Saturday would be one of the few remaining chances to get there.
Key takeaways
- Malaysia play South Korea in the Asian Games men's hockey semi-final at 6pm Malaysia time today.
- The Speedy Tigers won all five pool matches, including a 5-4 comeback win over Pakistan.
- The Asian Games champions qualify directly for the LA28 Olympics.
- The final and bronze medal match are both on Saturday, 3 October.
FAQ
What time is Malaysia vs South Korea? The semi-final starts at 7pm Japan time, which is 6pm in Malaysia, on Thursday 1 October.
Who would Malaysia face in the final? Malaysia would play the winner of India vs Pakistan, the earlier semi-final at 3.30pm Malaysia time.
What happens if Malaysia lose? They would play for bronze on Saturday 3 October at 3.30pm Malaysia time.
Sources: Kosmo, Scoop/Newswav, SBS News, FIH, The Star, Aichi-Nagoya 2026 official results