KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 28 — The national women’s five-a-side hockey squad could only finish sixth in the Hockey5s World Cup 2024 after losing 8-4 to Uruguay in the fifth-sixth playoff in Muscat, Oman yesterday.
Zati Alyani Muhamad Zubir scored a brace in the fourth and 19th minutes while Nur Zafirah Aziz (sixth minute) and Nurul Safiqah Mat Isa (25th) chipped in with one apiece for Malaysia.
Meanwhile, Teresa Viana stole the show for Uruguay when she hammered home six goals (1st, 8th, 16th, 23rd, 24th and 25th minutes) as Manuela Vilar (third minute) and Florencia Penalba (20th) added one each.
National coach Nabil Fiqri Mohd Noor said his charges gave their best but conceded that Uruguay were a class above.
“Our players produced a good and energetic performance but we must admit that Uruguay were more dominant and took their chances well.
“However, our players showed an improved performance throughout the tournament and I, as their coach, am delighted,” he said in a video clip that the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) shared with the media today. — Bernama
