Malaysia U-21 men's hockey team arrives in India for eight-match exposure tour
Bengaluru, Aug 2
Malaysia's U-21 men's hockey team has arrived here for an eight-match exposure tour, where they will take on the Indian junior team in five matches and the SAI team in three matches at the SAI Netaji Subhas Southern Centre.
The tour will see the Malaysia U-21 team play five matches against the Indian junior team and three matches against the SAI team.
The exposure series is designed to provide both teams with high-quality competitive opportunities while strengthening bilateral sporting ties and it forms an important part of both teams' preparations for upcoming international competitions.
The Indian Junior team will face Malaysia on August 7 (4:00 PM), August 8 (6:00 PM), August 10 (10:00 AM), August 12 (2:00 PM), and August 13 (2:00 PM).
In addition, the Malaysian team will take on the SAI Team on August 3 (2:00 PM), August 5 (4:00 PM), and August 15 (6:00 PM).
Speaking ahead of the series, Indian Junior men's coach Frederic Soyez said, "These matches will serve as important preparation for the Asia Cup. They are part of the continuity of the work we started during our tour in Belgium, where we already saw significant progress throughout the matches we played there. We hope this series against Malaysia will allow us to continue building on that progress by reinforcing the work we put in during our time in Belgium, as well as the improvements made over this past week of training."
The exposure tour follows the Indian Junior Men's Team's productive training and competition phase in Belgium and forms a key part of their preparations for the upcoming Junior Asia Cup.
The series is expected to provide the players with valuable international match experience and help the coaching staff assess combinations and strategies ahead of the continental tournament.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good to see SAI Bengaluru hosting these matches. The facility is world-class and it's a smart move to give the Malaysian team a taste of Indian conditions. Hope our junior team uses this to sharpen their skills and tactics. 🙌
As someone who follows hockey closely, this is exactly the kind of preparation India needs. The Belgium tour followed by matches against Malaysia should give coach Soyez a clear picture of his best combinations. Smart planning.
Hope the boys take full advantage of these eight matches. The junior Asia Cup is crucial for qualifying to the World Cup. Malaysia is a tough opponent and they will push our team to play at a higher intensity. I would like to see some of the SAI team players getting a chance to impress as well.
This is how you build a strong hockey culture – by playing regularly against different styles. Malaysia’s quick and skillful approach will be a great challenge for our defenders. Looking forward to some exciting matches at the SAI facility. 👍
Nice to see the coach emphasizing continuity after the Belgium tour. These matches will help him test combinations under match-like pressure. Hopefully, the SAI team also benefits from testing themselves against the Malaysians. Good exposure all around. 🏑
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