JOHOR BAHRU: The physical advantage of the Great Britain team was one of the factors for the Young Tigers squad’s 1-2 defeat in the Sultan of Johor Cup (SOJC) 2024 International Hockey Championship at Johor Hockey Stadium last night.
Head coach I. Vikneswaran said his team played an attacking game against Jon Bleby’s squad.
“We had a physical match and used every angle to score, and that’s what happened (defeat).
“The European style of play is also different, which may be something new for them, and we take this as an experience.
“In terms of fitness, the players were uninjured, and we tried to attack and score goals rather than just defend,“ he said at a press conference after the match.
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Vikneswaran also said the Young Tigers will make the best use of the remaining match against Australia tomorrow despite being out of contention for a podium finish and can only qualify for the fifth-sixth place playoff.
“This is one of the opportunities for our squad to play against them (Australia) as preparation for the Junior World Cup, and the countries competing (in SOJC) are world-class.
“Throughout this tournament, we have played in a certain way and tried to upskill while under pressure. So, as much as we want to succeed and achieve something, we have to be patient (despite the defeat),“ he said.
India lead the SOJC standings, followed by New Zealand, Australia, Great Britain and Japan, while the Young Tigers are at the bottom without earning any points after four matches.
The SOJC will end on Saturday.
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