India’s change strategy to surprise their rival turned counter productive, as Malaysia lived upto the reputation it has painstakingly acquired in the junior genre, of a team of promise, by defeating India 2-0 in the first semifinal of the Junior Asia Cup. Sensing the Indians game of wait and watch, Malaysia too showed a mature and measure game to frustrate the depending champions
India changed its strategy from the aggressive style to patient one, and it paid off almost, but its forwards were wayward in shooting and imagination in blunting the coach Baljit Singh’s surprise plot.
Both teams let the overflowing crowd down with their patient game, but the crowd lit up when Saari Faizal struck off the second penalty corner to put Malaysia ahead. As the goal came against a spell of struggle for the hosts, applauds took quite some time to subside.
When one team plays a wait and watch game, it has to avail the chances it would be making.
It is where coach Baljit was let down by a raw team that India here is.