Rajgir (Bihar): In a dramatic encounter, Malaysia shocked defending champions South Korea 4-1 to script a major upset in the Men’s Asia Cup Hockey 2025, improving their chances of topping the group and improving their chances of reaching the summit clash.
Earlier, Bangladesh reignited their campaign with a commanding 8-3 win over Chinese Taipei.
Malaysia’s spirited performance put them firmly on course for a Super 4 berth.
For Chinese Taipei, the heavy defeat has all but ended their hopes, while South Korea suddenly find themselves under pressure to recover in what is now a wide-open group.
In the match between Malaysia and Korea, it was Korea who drew blood first through Geonhyo Jin inside two minutes, but Malaysia responded strongly. Akhimullah Anuar stole the show with a superb hat-trick, while Ashran Hamsani added another. The result put Malaysia on top of Pool B with two straight wins, while Korea face mounting pressure ahead of their remaining fixtures.
South Korea went ahead through Geonhyo Jin, who capitalised on a defensive mishap just two minutes into the contest. The blow was a wake-up call for Malaysia. By the second quarter, Malaysia had found its rhythm. Persistent pressure and creative build-up carved space inside Korea’s defensive circle. A slick move saw Akhimullah Anuar level the scores with deft footwork and composure.
The third quarter saw Malaysia strike again, and this time through Ashran Hamsani. Benefiting from a turnover and quick passing inside the ring, he fired a low shot past the keeper to put Malaysia ahead at the 33-minute mark. Shortly afterwards, another Malaysian surge ended with Anuar doubling his tally from a penalty corner.
Despite South Korea’s efforts to recover, the Malaysian defense held firm. In the final minutes, Anuar completed a memorable hat-trick with a flourish, cementing his star-of-the-match credentials and delivering Malaysia a stunning 4-1 result.
Malaysia are now in a prime position to qualify for the Super 4s. For Korea, questions loom as pressure mounts to recover in upcoming fixtures.
Bangladesh outclass Chinese Taipei 8-3
Bangladesh hammered Chinese Taipei 8-3 in a Pool B clash. After a stuttering start to their campaign, the Bangladeshis produced a commanding second-half display that not only secured them vital points but also revived their hopes of advancing to the Super 4 stage.
Coming after a 1-4 defeat to Malaysia in their opening match, Bangladesh went all out for a win against Chinese Taipei, who had been crushed 0-7 by defending champions South Korea in their first match. By halftime, the score stood level at 2-2, as Bangladesh’s early goals were neutralised by the spirited Chinese Taipei counterattacks.
Bangladesh upped the tempo in the third quarter. Their forwards cut through the rival defence repeatedly, while the penalty-corner unit delivered clinical blows. Within minutes of the restart, Rakibul Hasan struck twice in quick succession, giving Bangladesh the cushion they needed.
Ashraful Islam, their specialist drag-flicker, added to the tally with trademark strikes, while Rezaul Babu opened his international account with a deft deflection.
The flurry of goals left Chinese Taipei shattered. They did manage a late reply through Shih Tsung-Jen. But by then the contest was long over.
Result summary:
Malaysia 4 (Akhimullah Anuar 3; Ashran Hamsani 1) bt South Korea 1 (Geonhyo Jin 1)
Bangladesh 8 (Ashraful Islam 2, Rakibul Hasan 2, Rezaul Babu, Mohammad Mohsin, Pritom Kumar, Khorshed Alam) bt Chinese Taipei 3 (Shih Tsung-Jen 2, Lin Po-Yu).
(IANS)
