KUALA LUMPUR: The national men's hockey team need to "wake up from their sleep" against South Korea tomorrow if they are to make it to the Asian Champions Trophy (ACT) semi-finals in Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia, China.
That is the message from three-time Olympian and former national coach Datuk Sri Shanmuganathan to the Speedy Tigers,
Malaysia, South Korea and China are fighting for the two remaining semi-final berths.
Defending champions India (with four wins) and three-time winners Pakistan (two wins and two draws) have already qualified.
South Korea are third in the round robin group with five points from four matches while Malaysia are fourth with four points.
Coach Sarjit Singh's team drew 2-2 with Pakistan, but lost 4-2 to lowly China and were hammered 8-1 by India. But the Speedy Tigers managed to edge Japan 5-4.
Hosts China are fifth with three points and Japan, who won the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh in May, are sixth and last with just one point.
If Malaysia fail to collect full points against South Korea, then it will all boil down to China's match against Japan. If China beat Japan, then it's all over for Malaysia.
It looks like a 50-50 game between Malaysia and South Korea. Malaysia played them twice this year, winning 1-0 in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh in May but losing 4-3 in the Nations Cup in Poland in June.
Sri Shanmuganathan said: "The ball is at their feet. Malaysia have experienced players and they know what is needed against South Korea.
"The Koreans are known for their fighting spirit and they make far less mistakes in matches.
"The national players need to wake up from their sleep and cut down on their basic mistakes. They have to make full use of the chances that come their way."
In the match against Japan, Malaysia earned 12 penalty corners, but converted only two.
Tomorrow's fixtures:
Malaysia v S. Korea (1.30pm)
India v Pakistan (3.45pm)
Japan v China (6pm)
* Malaysian time