Still plenty to do

SINGAPORE — Six months out from the SEA Games, and the national men’s hockey squad are still very much a work in progress, although their target of a gold medal remains unchanged.

At the Hockey World League Round 2 at the Sengkang Stadium yesterday, the Republic slumped to a second straight defeat, losing 2-1 to Ukraine.

While Singapore have never won the men’s hockey gold medal at the SEA Games, their chances could be boosted should hot favourites Malaysia go through with their plan to send their Under-21 squad to defend the title they won at the Myanmar Games.

Certainly, the Malaysian seniors looked a cut above, cruising to a 7-0 win over Oman yesterday. Singapore lost 3-2 to Oman in their Pool A opener on Saturday.

For Singapore coach Solomon Casoojee, it is a blessing his team’s frailties are being exposed ahead of the SEA Games to be held here.

“The two matches we have played so far have exposed all our weakness and shortcomings,” said Casoojee.

“Some of the things we did today were totally unacceptable — bad positioning, bad choice of passes and poor execution. I am very unhappy at the process the team went through today.”

Singapore will need to improve in their final Pool A match against Malaysia tonight, as finishing last would see them go up against the Pool B winners, likely to be Japan or Poland.

While the top three teams from this tournament will go into the semi-finals of the World Hockey League, in Belgium and Argentina in June, where tickets to the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016 are at stake, Casoojee is not looking that far ahead. The immediate thoughts are to finish well here, and then to focus on June’s SEA Games.

“There is still a lot to play for. The quarter-finals (on Thursday) is when everything comes alive,” he said.

“I wish we could finish higher in the group to avoid playing a stronger opponent, but we are facing Malaysia tomorrow and we know it will be difficult.”

Ukraine went ahead in the 44th minute via Oleksandar Diachenko, though Singapore restored parity two minutes later with Muhd Haseef Salim scoring from a penalty corner. Viacheslav Paziuk then converted a penalty stroke in the 64th minute to which the Republic’s stickmen could not find a reply.

Singapore skipper Enrico Marican is optimistic his team will come good during the SEA Games.

“The matches we have played in the World Hockey League so far are giving us the experience,” he said.

“We are now playing at 60 or 70 per cent of our capabilities and there is still time until June for us to improve. We will continue to work at our game and get even better for the SEA Games.”

And they have a fan in Malaysian team manager Mirnawan Nawawi, who thinks Singapore have improved since the Incheon Asian Games last September.

“They show better teamwork and some of them have improved individually,” Mirnawan noted. “I expect them to be even better at the SEA Games, where playing at home will give them a psychological advantage. I expect them to challenge Malaysia hard for the gold medal.

“We are not underestimating our other opponents in by sending the Under-21 team to the SEA Games, but the circumstances have forced our hand.

“The senior team, we reckon, will qualify for the semi-finals of the World Hockey League in June, which clashes with the SEA Games.

“With the upcoming Asia Junior Cup in Malaysia in November, which will also serve as qualifier for the Junior World Cup in 2016, we’ve decided that the U-21 team should be kept together and be given tournament exposure. They will certainly give Singapore a run for their money in the SEA Games.”

World Hockey League Round 2

Today’s matches:

9am Japan v Mexico; 3pm Bangladesh v Poland; 5.30pm Ukraine v Oman; 8pm Singapore v Malaysia

All matches held at Sengkang Stadium