An affordable Challenge for all

13/11/2001

THE ticket prices for the Champions Challenge on Dec 7-15 at the National
Hockey Stadium in Kuala Lumpur has been set at RM3 and RM5.
Compared to the cheapest ticket of RM25 per-match (sittings at the back
of both goalposts) for the 2002 Kuala Lumpur World Cup, the Challenge is
definately more affordable and should draw a large crowd.
The cheap tickets, according to an official of the Malaysia Hockey
Federation (MHF), was to encourage more people to come out and support the
Malaysian team preparing for the Feb 24 to March 9 World Cup.
"Tickets for the Challenge have been set at an affordable price so that
more people will come out and support the Malaysian team. And since teams
like Argentina, India and Japan are among the confirmed countries taking
part in the Challenge, it is a small price to pay for top-notch action,"
said the official.
By the time the Challenge begins, the National Stadium will have a new
turf and work to fit in additional seats would be in progress.
Meanwhile, the national trainees will take a short break for Deepavali
before resuming training at the second pitch of the National Hockey
Stadium.
"We will break camp for Deepavali and then resume training at the end of
the week because right now we can't afford to have long breaks since the
World Cup is only three months away," said coach Stephen van Huizen.
Chief coach Paul Lissek, who watched the Champions Trophy in Rotterdam,
is said to have picked the six teams in the Trophy to also finish among
the top teams in the 2002 World Cup.
At the Champions Trophy which ended on Sunday, two goals by Florian
Kunz, the tournament's top scorer, helped Germany beat Australia 2-1 in
the final.
Germany became the first team to win the trophy eight times after a
flawless campaign, winning all six of their matches in the annual event.
In the third-fourth placing match, Olympic champions Holland beat
Pakistan 5-2, while in the fifth and sixth placing match Englland beat
south korea 3-2 in a penalty shootout after a 3-3 draw in regulation time.
"Paul Lissek e-mailed me from Rotterdam saying that the six teams
playing in the Trophy are a class above the rest and it is highly likely
that they will hog the top spots in the 2002 World Cup as well," said an
official who declined to be named.
This surely spells trouble for Malaysia and by the look of things right
now, finishing eighth in the World Cup will be a bonus for Malaysia while
the 10th spot is a more realistic target.
Champions Challenge teams: Malaysia, Argentina, Belgium, India, Japan,
South Africa.
FIXTURES - Dec 7: South Africa v Argentina (4pm); India v Belgium (6pm);
Malaysia v Japan (8pm); Dec 8: South Africa v India (6pm); Belgium v
Malaysia (8pm); Dec 9: Japan v Argentina (6pm); Dec 10: Japan v South
Africa (4pm); Argentina v Belgium (6pm); Malaysia v India (8pm); Dec 11:
Belgium v South Africa (6pm); Dec 12: India v Japan (6pm); Malaysia v
Argentina (8pm); Dec 13: Japan v Belgium (4pm); India v Argentina (6pm);
Malaysia v South Africa (8pm).
Dec 14: REST DAY.
Dec 15: 5th ranked v 6th ranked (8am); 3rd ranked v 4th ranked (5pm);
1st ranked v 2nd ranked (8pm).
Note: All matches at Pitch One of the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit
Jalil. jugjet@nstp.com.my
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