India to face Malaysia in opening match of Sultan of Johor Cup

Eyes firmly set on gold, last year's bronze medallist India will take on hosts Malaysia in the opening match of the eighth Sultan of Johor Cup junior hockey tournament here on Saturday.

The team led by the talented Mandeep Mor will look to start the prestigious tournament on a winning note.

"It is always important to begin the tournament with a win as it boosts the confidence and motivates the team to build on their performance as the event progresses," said coach Jude Felix.

"But having said that, many players will also be playing their first international match and they must shake off the initial jitters to play their natural game."