Malaysia finishes World Cup campaign with loss to Belgium, eyes ranking improvement

The Malaysian national hockey team, known as the Speedy Tigers, ended their 2026 World Cup Group B campaign with a 3-5 defeat against hosts Belgium. This loss means Malaysia finished at the bottom of their group with a single point, earned from a 3-3 draw against France. They also suffered losses to Germany (1-5) and Belgium (3-5).

Following the group stage, Malaysia has been placed in Pool H, which comprises the two lowest-ranked teams from Groups B and C. This pool will determine the final standings of the tournament. The team, led by Brendan Carolan, is scheduled to play two matches in this round.

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Overall it was a good performance and we are happy to get the result, because we always want to get a positive result, besides having worked hard to implement a new defensive system.

Despite the results, head coach Brendan Carolan expressed optimism, viewing the performance against Belgium as a sign of progress, particularly with the implementation of a new defensive system. "Overall it was a good performance and we are happy to get the result, because we always want to get a positive result, besides having worked hard to implement a new defensive system," Carolan stated. He believes minor adjustments are needed to compete at the highest level.

Malaysia showed resilience during the match, scoring three goals through Nik Aiman Nik Rozemi, Muhammad Marhan Jalil, and Akhimullah Anuar Esook. However, Belgium maintained control, with Tom Boon scoring four goals, including three from penalty corners. Thibeau Stockbroekx added Belgium's fifth goal. Carolan is now focusing on Pool H, emphasizing the need for thorough preparation against potential opponents like Spain or Ireland, followed by a match against South Africa. "We want to improve our world ranking," he added.

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We want to improve our world ranking.