Malaysia score three in nine minutes to beat Japan 4-2, Canada finally win at the Johor Cup

Three goals in nine minutes. Malaysia just blew this tournament open

Pakistan didn’t play on Tuesday. They might still have lost ground.

Malaysia beat Japan 4-2 at Taman Daya with a late burst that properly hurt, three goals in nine minutes in the last quarter, and earlier in the day Canada beat China 3-2 to get their first win of the week. So the hosts are now level with Pakistan on six points, Canada are off the bottom, and China are on zero from three and running out of road.

That’s a good day of hockey. Messy in places, loud at the end.

Canada 3-2 China: a goal in the first minute, a winner that had to survive the last one

China scored after one minute and still lost. That kind of sums up their week.

Li Kai converted a penalty corner in the 1st minute to put China 1-0 up. Canada’s answer was instant. Navdip Chandi scored a field goal in the 2nd minute, then another in the 15th, and suddenly Canada led 2-1 at the end of the first quarter after barely having time to settle.

The middle of the game went quiet. No goals in the second or third quarter, just China pushing and Canada sitting in a shape that, for once this week, held.

Gurnoor Bhullar made it 3-1 in the 47th minute with a field goal, and that should have finished it. It didn’t, quite. Shi Jiashun converted a penalty corner in the 60th minute, with the hooter basically waiting, to make it 3-2. Too late to matter, but close enough that Canada’s bench will have felt it.

For Canada, this changes everything and nothing. They’ve still conceded 16 goals in three games, which is a lot by any standard. But they’re now fourth, on three points, and fourth is the last spot that gets a medal match on Saturday. Hold that spot and their tournament has a final day.

China are in real trouble now. Played three, lost three. They played well for 25 minutes against Pakistan on day one and haven’t won a game since that spell ended. They have to beat Japan on Wednesday just to stay in the conversation, and even that might not be enough.

Canada scorers: Navdip Chandi 2′, 15′, Gurnoor Bhullar 47′

China scorers: Li Kai 1′ (PC), Shi Jiashun 60′ (PC)

Japan 2-4 Malaysia: Japan led twice, Malaysia finished like hosts should

Japan will be kicking themselves. They led twice in this game and lost by two.

Matsuki Mori put Japan ahead in the 19th minute with a field goal. Malaysia levelled in the 27th, Muhammad Mohd converting a penalty stroke, so it was 1-1 and tight and exactly the kind of game the coaches said it would be.

Rintaro Sakai restored Japan’s lead in the 43rd minute. 2-1 Japan, third quarter, away from home in all but name. That is a position you protect.

Malaysia didn’t let them.

A Aferullsyah equalised from a penalty corner in the 51st minute. Then the game cracked open in the 56th. Naaveenesh Panicker scored a field goal to put Malaysia ahead for the first time, 3-2, and in the same minute Dheeressh Gunaseelan converted a penalty corner to make it 4-2. Two goals, one minute on the TMS sheet, crowd properly up.

Three Malaysian goals in nine minutes, from 51 to 56 if you count the corner that started it, and Japan had no answer left. Their goal difference took a hit too, dropping from +7 to +5, which matters when the final places get tight later in the week.

For our money, this is the result of the tournament so far. Not the biggest scoreline, Pakistan have those covered, but the most telling one. Malaysia have now won a game by control, 3-0 against China, and a game by chaos, 4-2 here. Teams that can win both ways at home are hard to shift.

Japan scorers: Matsuki Mori 19′, Rintaro Sakai 43′

Malaysia scorers: Muhammad Mohd 27′ (PS), A Aferullsyah 51′ (PC), Naaveenesh Panicker 56′, Dheeressh Gunaseelan 56′ (PC)

What the table looks like now

Pakistan stay top: played 2, won 2, goals 14 for and 5 against, goal difference +9, 6 points.

Malaysia are second, also on 6 points, goals 7 for and 2 against, goal difference +5. Same points as Pakistan, behind on goal difference, and they play Pakistan next. You couldn’t script that much better.

Japan are third on 3 points from three games, goal difference +5. Canada are fourth, also on 3 points but from three games, goal difference -10. China are bottom on 0 points from three games, goal difference -9.

Read that bottom half carefully. China have a better goal difference than Canada but no points, and they’ve played the same number of games. If China don’t beat Japan on Wednesday, they’ll be relying on other results just to finish fourth. Canada, meanwhile, have no game on Wednesday, so they just have to watch and hope.

Wednesday in Johor: top against second, and China on their last chance

China v Japan, Wednesday 21 October, 2:05 pm PKT — read our China v Japan preview

China have to win. A draw leaves them on one point with one game left, Canada already on three. Japan need the win too, because a loss here and a Pakistan win later would leave the final looking a long way off. Japan start favourites on squad depth and on what they did to Canada on day one, but Tuesday showed they can be got at late in games.

Pakistan v Malaysia, Wednesday 21 October, 4:35 pm PKT

This is the game the whole week has been building towards, and Tuesday just made it bigger. Both sides are on six points. The winner goes to nine and is, in practical terms, one result away from the final on Saturday 24 October. The loser doesn’t fall apart, Japan are still right there, but they lose control of their own week.

Pakistan have the attack, 14 goals in two games doesn’t happen by accident. Malaysia have the defence when they want it and the crowd every night. Something has to give.

Day three belonged to the hosts. Wednesday decides if it stays that way.

Follow every score as it happens in our Live Centre.