Its Sunday n Sapura ..

MALAYSIA Hockey League (MHL) Division One debutants Sunday 2030 claimed a third place finish in the President's Cup when they beat Ipoh Ciy Council 3-1 at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.
  And in the TNB Cup battle for Bronze, Sapura beat Maybank 2-1 for the third spot.
  Sunday 2030 pocketed 10,000 in prize money while MBI received RM 5,000.
  As for Sapura, they received RM40,00 while Maybank took home RM30,000.
  Adrian Richard Arputhan gave Sunday the lead off a fifth minute penalty corner while the other goals were scrored by P. Prabahkaran (40th) and K. Regan (58th).
  The Sapura goals were scored by Khasif Ali (33rd), which took his tally to 18, and Mohamed Izzat (35th).
  And the Maybank goal was scored by Shafqat Rasol  (49th).
  RESULTS (Third-Fourth): President’s Cup -- Ipoh City Council 1 Sunday 2030 3; TNB Cup -- Maybank 1 Sapura 2.
  TODAY (Finals): President’s Cup -- UiTM v TNB  Thunderbolts (6pm); TNB Cup -- Kuala Lumpur HC v Tenaga  Nasional (8pm).
  Note: Both matches at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

UniKL's commitment to national duty..

UNIKL Hockey Club and the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) yesterday officially teamed-up to save a dying breed in hockey -- goalkeepers.
  From the days of Khairuddin Zainal in the 1975 Kuala Lumpur World Cup, right until the present No 1 S. Kumar, national goalkeepers have helped keep Malaysia among the top 15 countries in the world.
  However, the supply chain of caliber goalkeepers has almost dried up, and that is why UniKL and MHC started a specialised training programe yesterday.
  Led by former national keeper and current national and juniors goalkeeper coach M. Nadarajah, the trainings will be held every Saturday.
  Yesterday, about 20 goalkeepers from ages 10-16 turned up for the official launch which also saw Kumar, former national goalkeeper Nasihin Nubli, national coach Paul Revington and his assistant Arul Selvaraj making their presence felt.
  "We used to have some of the best goalkeepers in the world at one time, but today, even Malaysia Hockey League sides are finding it difficult to secure good goalkeepers.
  "And when Kumad and Roslan (Jamaluddin) retire in the near future, the gap between them and those who are likely to fill their shoes is just too wide.
  "That is why, with the help of UniKL and MHC, I hope to train young goalkeepers with the basics so that when they move up to the club and then national levels, they will easily fit in and there is no need to hire foreign goalkeepers for the MHL," said Nadarajah.
  Nadarajah, Kumar and Roslan will head for the Netherlands, for the second time, on Monday to undergo specialised goalkeepers training under Martijn Drijver.
  The first was in November last year: "In Netherlands Roslan and I learned how too combine the Asian and European style in our last training. And it did help improve our game, so we are looking forward to the second stint," said Kumar.
  Kumar, from Tampin Negri Sembilan, then parted his knowledge with some of the young aspirants, who later lined-up for photo shoots with him.

KLHC gunning to equal Tenaga's 12 titles..

 KUALA Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) will be gunning to  equal Tenaga Nasinal’s 12 titles when they face off in the TNB  Cup final at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil tomorrow.
   And in the President’s Cup final, the battle will be between  UiTM and TNB Thunderbolts.
   Today,  the third-fourth placing matches of the TNB Cup  and President’s Cup will be held in Bukit Jalil.
    Tenaga have seven Overall and five League titles, while  KLHC have three Overall and eight League titles.
   Tenaga player Faizal Saari will also be out to create history  of his own, to become the MHL top-scorer for the third  consecutive year.
    In the 2011-12 season, Faizal top-scored with 19 goals,  while in the 2012 season, he had a tally of 20.
   Going into the final tomorrow, the national player is tied on  17 goals with Sapura’s Pakistan import Khasif Ali.
   “Being named as the top-scorer the last two seasons did not  mean anything as my team lost the TNB Cup both times to  KLHC.
   “I’m in the running again to become the top-scorer, and  this time, I want to do it by winning the title as well,” said  Faizal.
    KLHC coach K. Dharmaraj knows the heart-break which  comes with defeat, as he has seen his team lose seven times  in MHL finals.
    “I have been coaching KLHC for 14 years now, and even  though we have won 11 titles, I have also the misfortune to  have lost in seven other finals.
    “So I know how it feels to be a champion as well as ending  up at the losers end,” said Dharmaraj.
     When six of Dharmaraj’s stalwarts left to join Terengganu  HC this season, many had written off the club, but they went  on to win the League title with only one blemish -- a 3-3 draw  against Tenaga Nasional.
    “We were involved in a scramble to recruit foreign players  when six left us for better offers, and fortunately, we  managed to hire a good crop of Pakistan and also an  Australian player.
    “I have no hard feeling for the six who left us, as the offer  was much more better than what we could give. Now, the  foreign as well as my local players have a very good  understanding, and we will be gunning to equal Tenaga’s  record on Sunday,” said Dharmaraj.
     Entrance is free, and 2,000 lucky draw tickets for two  Modenas motorbikes are expected to be given away at the  entrance.
    TODAY (Third-Fourth): President’s Cup -- Ipoh City Council  v Sunday 2030 (6pm); TNB Cup -- Maybank v Sapura  (8pm).
    TOMORROW (Finals): President’s Cup -- UiTM v TNB  Thunderbolts (6pm); TNB Cup -- Kuala Lumpur HC v Tenaga  Nasional (8pm).
    Note: All matches at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

UiTM have edge over Thunderbolts..

TNB Thunderbolts and UiTM will square off to lay their hands on the President’s Cup this Sunday at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
    And in the TNB Cup, the hopefuls are Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) and Tenaga Nasional, who each have 12 titles under their belts, and will be gunning for the 13th.
    The poorer cousin, President’s Cup, has been in the shadows thus far, as the glamour was stolen by the Premier Division sides for the last two months, but all that is set to change in a fiery final.
   For the record, UiTM will start as the favourites as they edged TNB Thunderbolts in two earlier League encounters by winning 5-4 and then 2-1.
   “We have the Division One League title and also two wins against Thunderbolts after a gruelling season, and don’t aim to stop our momentum in the final on Sunday,” said UiTM assistant manager Fairuz Ahmad.
     In the 12 League matches, UiTM won 10, drew 1 and lost only one. They also scored 43 goals and only let in 16.
     “Yes, we have been consistent in the League and also the knock-out stages, but that does not mean we will take Thunderbolts lightly as the Cup is a different tournament where passion for the trophy will determine who lifts it,” said Fairuz.
   Thunderbolts coach, Lailin Abu Hassa, a former International knows his charges have it uphill: We have a combined team of experience and youth (from Tengku Mahkota Ismail Sports School) and there has been ups and downs as they tried to get used to each other in the initial stages.
    “However, the understanding is there, and we will play to lift the trophy,” said Lailin.
    The top scorer for UiTM is  Nor Nashriq Farhan on 10 penalty corner goals. As for Thunderbolts, Their top penalty corner scorer is Sabri Mohamed on seven goals, while seasoned campaigner Mahinder Singh is their top scorer on eight field goals.
   Meanwhile, fans who make their way to the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil to watch the President’s Cup as well as the TNB Cup are in for a chance to win two motorcycles worth RM5,000 each.
     The two Modenas Passion motorcycles, donated by Edaran Modenas Sdn Bhd, will be given away on lucky draw tickets after the TNB Cup final.
    Entrance to the stadium is free, and 2,000 lucky draw tickets are expected to be given away at the entrance.
    SATURDAY (Third-Fourth): Presdent’s Cup -- Ipoh City Council v Sunday 2030 (6pm); TNB Cup -- Maybank v Sapura (8pm).
    SUNDAY (Finals): Presdent’s Cup -- UiTM v TNB Thunderbolts (6pm); TNB Cup -- Kuala Lumpur HC v Tenaga Nasional (8pm).
    Note: All matches at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

Noor Faeez given the boot..

PIC: Noor Faeez Ibrahim 

NATIONAL seniors coach Paul Revington made a clear statement that he will not tolerate laggards, when he slammed the door or national juniors skipper Noor Faeez Ibrahim for failing to buck up.
   Noor Faez skippered the Junior Asia Cup side which won gold in Malacca and took Malaysia into the New Delhi Junior World Cup, but his attitude as well as form had dropped tremendously since.
   And South African Revington had no choice but to drop him from the 26 trainees named for World League Semi-finals on June 29 to July 7 in Johor Baru.
    “I had no choice but to drop Faeez, because his form and his appoach towards the sport had dropped tremendously. One could see the change during the MHL (Malaysia Hockey League) and I can’t afford players like this as we prepare for the World League,” said Paul Revington.
    The tournament in Johor Baru offers tickets to the World Cup, and Malaysia will be up against World No 1 Germany, Argentina, England, South Korea, Pakistan, South Africa and a yet to be named team.
    The two-group, with four teams each, World League will be based on the new format where the group matches do not count, with all eight teams qualifying for the quarter-finals.
   And one win in the last eight will see Malaysia finish top-four and qualify for the World Cup.
    “Even though we are ranked seventh out of the eight teams, the plan is tho qualify for the World Cup from the World League so that we do not have to be under stress during the Asia Cup (Aug 24-Sept 1) which is another avenue to make the World Cup,” said Revington.
    The five ‘new’ inclusions were goalkeeper Khairulnizam Ibrahim, Ahmad Kazamirul, Azreen Rizal, Meor Azuan and Firhan Ashaari.
    And five players in the squad are still Under-21 and eligible for the Junior World Cup in New Delhi in November.
   Among the top players in the injury list was Ismail Abu, whose chances of playing in the two major tournaments this year depends on the speed of his recovery.
   TRAINING SQUAD: Goalkeepers: Khairulnizam Ibrahim, S.Kumar, Roslan Jamaluddin.
    Defenders: Azlan Misron, Azreen Rizal, Baljit Singh, Faiz Helmi, Shukri Mutalib, Izad Hakimi, Amin Rahim, Razie Rahim, Ahmad Kazamirul.
    Midfielders: Jivan Mohan, Meor Azuan, Fitri Saari, Shahrun Nabil, Marhan Jalil, Norhizzat Sumantri,
    Forwards: Chua Boon Huat, Faisal Saari, Izwan Firdaus, Azzami Abadi, Firhan Ashaari, Ramadhan Rosli, Nabil Fiqri, Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin.