Malaysia got their 2018 Men's Hockey World Cup campaign off to a bad start as they were thrashed 7-0 by three-time world champions Netherlands in a Pool D encounter on Saturday.

It was the Speedy Tigers' biggest Hockey World Cup defeat since they lost 8-0 to Australia in 1998.

The margin of defeat could've been bigger it wasn't for the heroics of goalkeeper S. Kumar, who had to face 25 shots on goal and eight penalty corners in total.

On the other hand, Malaysia, who memorably beat the Dutch side en route to their fourth-place finish in 1975, only managed two shots on goal.

Roelant Oltmans' team struggled to impose themselves from the get-go at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, India, and found themselves 1-0 down in the 11th minute with Jeroen Hertzberger scoring from open field.

It was more of the same in the second quarter as Mirco Pruijser struck in the 21st minute and Hertzberger bagged another field goal in the 29th minute.

Mink van der Weerden made it four from a penalty corner in the 35th minute before Robbert Kemperman celebrated his 200th cap for his national team with a 42nd-minute effort.

Thierry Brinkman converted a 57th-minute penalty corner and Hertzberger completed his hat-trick with the final strike of the evening.

Malaysia will next face Pakistan on December 5, while the Netherlands will take on Germany.



(Picture: Twitter/Sports_Odisha)