Malaysia ke Piala Dunia Belia Hoki Pertama
Pada tahun 1977, Malaysia menjadi tuan rumah Kejohanan Kelayakan Asia-Oceania bagi Piala Dunia Belia Hoki yang sulung. Pasukan belia kebangsaan telah diundi ke dalam Kumpulan B bersama Indonesia, Macau, Thailand dan Pakistan. Manakala, Kumpulan A terdiri daripada India, Singapura, Hong Kong, Bangladesh dan Sri Lanka. Daripada 10 pasukan yang bertanding, hanya empat teratas akan layak ke Versailles pada 1979.
Sebagai sebahagian daripada latihan mereka, Malaysia berkunjung ke Australia selama dua minggu pada bulan Mac untuk mempertajamkan permainan mereka serta menimba pengalaman pertandingan menentang pasukan antarabangsa. Seramai 37 pemain menyertai lawatan tersebut bersama pasukan jurulatih yang diketuai oleh Olimpian hoki negara, R. Yogeswaran.
Tam Chiew Seng dinamakan kapten sejurus sebelum kejohanan bermula pada bulan Mei. Berusia 20 tahun ketika itu, beliau pernah bermain dengan pasukan senior dan dipilih untuk menyertai skuad latihan Piala Dunia Hoki 1975.
Selepas menjalani dua lagi latihan pusat setelah kembali dari Australia, Malaysia berasa yakin dan bersedia untuk bermain di Kelayakan Piala Dunia Belia yang pertama. Pada peringkat kumpulan, Malaysia berjaya memenangi semua perlawanan kecuali satu setelah seri dengan Pakistan. Keputusan peringkat kumpulan adalah seperti berikut:
- Malaysia 11 – 0 Macau
- Malaysia 3 – 0 Thailand
- Malaysia 9 – 0 Indonesia
- Malaysia 0 – 0 Pakistan
Pakistan menduduki tempat teratas kumpulan dengan purata gol yang tertinggi, meletakkan Malaysia di tempat kedua. Kedua-dua pasukan menuju ke separuh akhir, di mana Malaysia bertemu India. Pasukan lawan mendahului dengan jaringan pertama pada minit ke-29 daripada pemain sayap Mohammed Yusof. Pada minit ke-45, Malaysia menyamakan kedudukan dengan hasil jaringan Foo Keat Seong. Tujuh minit dalam masa tambahan, Chiew Seng berjaya menjaringkan gol kemenangan dan membawa Malaysia ke perlawanan akhir.
Pakistan yang menewaskan Singapura 8-0 pada peringkat separuh akhir menanti Malaysia di perlawanan akhir. Pakistan terus menunjukkan kehebatan mereka dengan permainan yang cemerlang dan berjaya mengalahkan Malaysia 2–0. Walau bagaimanapun, empat pasukan teratas mara ke Piala Dunia Belia 1979. Mewakili rantau Asia-Oceania ialah Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapura dan India.
Nantikan paparan kami yang seterusnya untuk mengetahui bagaimana Malaysia bertarung di Perancis.
Skuad belia hoki Malaysia:
Zulkifli Abas, Mohamed Sayuti, Foo Keat Seong, Ian Sta Maria, C.S. Ravindran, Steven Van Huizen, Tam Kam Seng, Benedict Arrais, Kamaruddin Ahmad, M. Surentheran, Abdul Kader, Razak Leman, Tam Chiew Seng (kapten), Anthony Cruz, Colin Sta Maria, Updesh Singh
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In 1977, Malaysia hosted the Asia-Oceania Qualifying Round for the inaugural Men’s Hockey Junior World Cup. The national junior team was drawn into Group B together with Indonesia, Macau, Thailand and Pakistan. Meanwhile in Group A were India, Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Of the 10 teams participating, only the top four will qualify for Versailles in 1979.
As part of their training, Malaysia spent two weeks in Australia in March to sharpen their skills and gain competition experience with international teams. 37 players joined the tour with a team of coaches led by former hockey Olympian, R. Yogeswaran.
Tam Chiew Seng was named captain of the Malaysian team as the tournament fast approaches in May. At 20 years old, he had played with the senior team including being part of the 1975 World Cup training squad.
After two more rounds of centralised training since Australia, Malaysia were fit and ready to take on the first Junior World Cup qualifiers. They had a successful run in the group stage, winning all matches but one, after a draw with Pakistan. The results were as follow:
- Malaysia 11 – 0 Macau
- Malaysia 3 – 0 Thailand
- Malaysia 9 – 0 Indonesia
- Malaysia 0 – 0 Pakistan
Pakistan sat on top of the group with a higher goal average, placing Malaysia second. Both teams headed into the semi-finals where Malaysia faced India. Their opponents took the lead with a goal in the 29th minute by winger Mohammed Yusof. In the 45th minute, Malaysia equalised with a goal by Foo Keat Seong. Seven minutes into extra time, Chiew Seng managed to score the winning goal and Malaysia were off to the finals.
Awaiting them at the finals were Pakistan, who demolished Singapore with an 8-0 victory in the semi-finals. Pakistan continued to show their superiority with exceptional play that led them to defeat Malaysia 2–0. Nevertheless, the top four teams had already secured a place at the 1979 Junior World Cup. Representing Asia-Oceania were Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore and India.
Stay tuned for our next post to find out how Malaysia fared in France.
Malaysian junior hockey squad:
Zulkifli Abas, Mohamed Sayuti, Foo Keat Seong, Ian Sta Maria, C.S. Ravindran, Steven Van Huizen, Tam Kam Seng, Benedict Arrais, Kamaruddin Ahmad, M. Surentheran, Abdul Kader, Razak Leman, Tam Chiew Seng (captain), Anthony Cruz, Colin Sta Maria, Updesh Singh
