Score early goals and unsettle the rival. The same strategy of the emerging power France was in full display today against charged up Malaysia in the third quarterfinal which saw them sail into the semis majestically with a 4-0 score. Malaysians waged a grim battle to gain the lost ground in the second half but were not precise in shooting goals.

Team in form France is cruising ahead for a fluent win over surprise pack Malaysia, with two immaculate penalty corner goals, each struck at opposite corners of the cage, by the ebullient French captain  Timothee Clement at half time. Shortly after the lemon time, Mathias Clement enlarged the lead off the 11th penalty corer. And then, as the things settled in favour of them,  sharp shooting in the last of the penalty corners, the 13th, that the French got was also fructified with just 20 seconds left in the clock (4-0).

First goal came off  France’s fourth penalty corner. Timothee drag-flicked to the left top corner of the net to beat custodian Shahrul Supi for the first goal (1-0). Timothee was again on spot with team’s six penalty corner finding the other end of the net on high ball. In all, France got seven penalty corners compared to a solitary one by their rival till the halftime.

France continued their hungry for goals after lemon time too. Surge of moves saw them getting three penalty corners in the first two minutes. Mathias Clement struck off a high rebound from the goalie Shahrul after he took the dragflick of Antonin Igau on his chest.  The ball was in the air, when Clement hit hard in interception, no goalie in the would have stopped it from its home reach (3-0, 32nd min).

Malaysia recouped well and pressed after conceding three goals. However, their penalty corner drils did not measure up to the danger level. On both occasion, Khalid Muhammad’s grounder were easily intercepted and cleared.

The last 5,6 minutes of the third quarter belonged to Malaysia. The entire French defence had to pull up their socks to stop from any damage being caused.

They continued to attack in the fourth quarter also. They came close to scoring on a couple of occasions, especially when they obtained two penalty corners in a trot. But Khalid Mohd was not sharp.