Kejohanan Hoki Piala Dunia Belia 1979 – Malaysia No. 4 Dunia
Pasukan hoki belia negara turun menentang pasukan Belanda untuk merebut pingat gangsa di kejohanan hoki Piala Dunia Belia yang pertama pada 2 September 1979.
Malaysia ketinggalan 0-1 kepada Juara Eropah 1978 melalui jaringan Norbert van Der Berg pada separuh masa pertama. Namun begitu pasukan negara mampu bersaing dan memberi tentangan hebat sehingga berjaya menyamakan kedudukan 1-1 melalui gol jaringan Foo Keat Seong. Walau bagaimanapun, nasib tidak menyebelahi pasukan kebangsaan apabila Updesh Singh diarah keluar padang setelah dua kali menerima amaran oleh pengadil perlawanan kerana permainan kasarnya. Keputasan itu diprotes oleh pemain-pemain dan pegawai Malaysia.
“Kami menghadapai momen-momen yang mencemaskan. Tetapi nasib kami berubah setelah pengadil mengeluarkan Updesh Singh,” jurulatih Belanda, John Ellfers kata.
Pasukannya berjaya menjaringkan gol kemenangan selepas penyingkiran Updesh Singh. Kekalahan 1-2 itu merupakan kekalahan kedua negara kepada Belanda dalam kejohanan tersebut. Sebelum perlawanan ini pasukan Malaysia layak ke separuh akhir setelah menduduki tempat kedua di belakang Belanda dalam Kumpulan A.
Pada perlawanan pembukaan pasukan negara mengalahkan India 2-1. Malaysia ketinggalan 0-1 pada minit ke-18 apabila pemain sayap kanan India, Syed Jalaluddin mengelecek beberapa pemain Malaysia sebelum melepaskan ‘reverse’ flik menewaskan penjaga gol Mohammad Sayuti. Seperti mana di pusingan kelayakan, kapten Foo Keat Seong menyamakan kedudukan hasil daripada pukulan sudut pendek pada minit ke-25. Malaysia mendapat gol kemenangan pada minit ke-56 apabila diberikan pukulan penalti setelah Stephen Van Huzen dijatuhkan oleh Rajinder Singh. Colin Sta Maria tidak mempersiakan peluang tersebut.
Kemudiannya, Malaysia tumpas kepada Belanda 1-2 pada 27 Ogos. Pasukan negara menang dalam dua perlawanan terakhir peringkat kumpulan, mengalahkan Perancis 1-0 (28 Ogos) melalui Foo Keat Seong dari pukulan sudut pendek dan menewaskan Chile 2-0 (29 Ogos), hasil jaringan gol padang Razak Leman dan Colin Sta Maria.
Malaysia gagal ke peringkat akhir setelah kalah kepada Pakistan 2-4 di peringkat separuh akhir di mana gol-gol pasukan negara dijaringkan oleh Foo Keat Seong dan Colin Sta Ma .
Kejohanan Piala Dunia di bawah umur 21 tahun ini menyaksikan Pakistan muncul juara apabila berjaya mengalahkan Jerman Barat 2-0 di perlawanan akhir.
Skuad kebangsaan yang berada di Versailles, Perancis terdiri daripada:
William Lazaroo
Lim Hock Seng
Ahmad Fadzil Zainal Abidin
Chin Boon Gee
James Murthy
Colin Sta Maria
Stephen Van Huzen
Updesh Singh Gill
Kevin Christopher Nunis
Erling Wallace Tan
Foo Keat Seong
Mohd Sayuti Samad
Ibrahim Salleh
Derek Anthony Fidelis
M. Surya Prakash
Razak Leman
Kepada wira-wira negara yang telah mengharumkan nama negara, kami ucapkan terima kasih.
Malaysia akan menjadi tuan rumah Piala Dunia Hoki Belia 2023. Semoga perancangan dan segala persediaan untuk menghadapi kejohanan yang besar ini berjalan dengan lancar apatah lagi dengan cabaran pandemik Covid-19. Tentu sekali kita semua berharapa skuad muda hoki negara dapat bersaing hebat dan menempah kejayaan.
“Luasnya padang bukan penghalang untuk berjuang
Dalam gelanggang pun tak kurang tak kecundang
Sejarah lama kita kaji
Mengatur rencana dengan pasti
Kisah mereka diteladani
Agar tetap teguh tegak berdiri”
(Kredit foto asal: Dunia Sukan)
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1979 Hockey Junior World Cup – Malaysia 4th in the World
The national youth hockey team went down against the Netherlands, losing their chance to win the bronze medal in the first Junior World Cup held on September 2, 1979.
Malaysia was trailing 0–1 behind the 1978 European champions after a goal by Norbert van der Berg in the first half. However, the Malaysian team was able to compete with great resistance until they equalized the score 1–1 with a goal by Foo Keat Seong. However, the match was not going their way as Updesh Singh was sent off the field after receiving two warnings by the referee for rough play. The decision was protested by Malaysian players and officials.
“We were facing some anxious moments but our luck changed when the referee removed Updesh Singh,” Netherlands’ coach John Ellfers said.
His team managed to score the winning goal after Singh’s removal. The 1–2 defeat was the country’s second to the Netherlands in the tournament. Prior to this match, Malaysia qualified for the semi-finals by finishing second to the Netherlands in Group A.
In the opening match, the national team defeated India 2–1. Malaysia was down 0–1 in the 18th minute when Indian right-winger Syed Jalaluddin sped through several Malaysian players before releasing a reverse flick past goalkeeper Mohammad Sayuti. Just like his performance in the qualifying round, Foo Keat Seong equalized the score with a short corner shot in the 25th minute. Malaysia scored the winning goal in the 56th minute when they were awarded a penalty after Stephen van Huzen was brought down by Rajinder Singh. Colin Sta Maria did not waste the opportunity.
Later on, Malaysia lost to the Netherlands 1–2 on August 27. Nevertheless, the national team won their last two group stage matches, defeating France 1-0 on August 28 with a short corner goal by Foo Keat Seong and Chile 2–0 the next day with goals from Razak Leman and Colin Sta Maria.
The under-21 World Cup saw Pakistan emerge as their inaugural champions when they defeated West Germany 2–0 in the final match.
The national squad that went to Versailles, France consisted of:
William Lazaroo
Lim Hock Seng
Ahmad Fadzil Zainal Abidin
Chin Boon Gee
James Murthy
Colin Sta Maria
Stephen Van Huzen
Updesh Singh Gill
Kevin Christopher Nunis
Erling Wallace Tan
Foo Keat Seong
Mohd Sayuti Samad
Ibrahim Salleh
Derek Anthony Fidelis
M. Surya Prakash
Razak Leman
We thank the Malaysian heroes who have propelled the country’s name with their success.
Malaysia will host the 2023 Youth Hockey World Cup. Hopefully the planning and preparations for the tournament go smoothly, let alone with the challenge of COVID-19. We certainly hope that the national youth squad will be a great competitor and achieve success.
(Original photo credit: Dunia Sukan)
