Kuala lumpur: The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) is optimistic about the national men's under-18 (U-18) team's chances as they aim to secure a spot in the semi-finals of the inaugural U-18 Asia Cup championships, scheduled to take place in China from July 3 to 13.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, national junior team head coach Nor Saiful Zaini Nasiruddin expressed confidence in the team's prospects based on the relative strength of the teams grouped with Malaysia in Group B. He highlighted the strong reputation of the U-18 squad's coaches and players in this age category, stating that finishing first or second in their group is a realistic target. "If we look at Group B, we have Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, and Chinese Taipei. I think finishing first or second is very achievable. So we will qualify for the semi-finals. If we become group champions, we might even make it to the final," Nor Saiful Zaini said during an MHC press conference.

The head coach also emphasized the tournament's role in expanding the national player pool, which is crucial for the upcoming Junior World Cup in India later this year. "All the players in this U-18 squad are not part of my current junior team. So with their inclusion, we will have a bigger pool of players," he further explained. Malaysia's U-18 team will begin their campaign against Kazakhstan on July 3 and will face Indonesia, Chinese Taipei, Japan, and Uzbekistan in subsequent Group B fixtures. Only the top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals.