KL hold slight edge

NEGRI Sembilan will rely on experience, while Kuala Lumpur on fitness when they square off in the Division One final of the Razak Cup at the Tun Razak Stadium today.
Kuala Lumpur, the 16-time Razak Cup champions, will start as the favourites, but Negri has shown great mettle in this tournament, and cannot be taken lightly.
In the pool match, Negri beat Kuala Lumpur 2-0, but the City team was already in the final before the match, and did not display their true capabilities.
“It will be an entertaining final for sure, but we must forget the 2-0 win (against KL), and start afresh. KL have speedy forwards, while we will be relying on experienced Razak Cup strikers as Suhaimi (Ibrahim) will be out on injury,” said Negri coach Jailani Sulaiman.
Suhaimi played a pivotal role for Negri in the pool matches and in his absence, Negri will rely on experienced hands Tarvinder Singh and Mahinder Singh to do the damage.
And 16-year-old G. Kavin Kartik, scored both the goals in the win against KL, will be closely monitored in the final. The Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) scouts are in the look-out for more players to join the 2009 Junior World Cup squad, and how the lad performs in the final might just determine his future in the sport.
KL coach K. Dharmaraj is also expecting a close final: “Negri has many experienced players, and even though we played our normal game, they still beat us 2-0. I expect them to come charging at us tomorrow (today), and we will have to perform at a higher standard for our 17th title.”
Meanwhile, National Juniors held Johor 1-1 in regulation play, but lost out 4-3 in penalty strokes to finish sixth. Juniors took the lead off Azreen Rizal in the 23rd minute, but Johor won a penalty corner with 15 seconds remaining in the match, and Fikri Bassar scored the equaliser to take the match into extra-time, and then strokes.
RESULTS: Division One -- Third-Fourth: Perak 2 Malacca 0; Fifth-Sixth: Juniors 1 Johor 1 (Johor win 4-3 on penalty strokes).
Division Two: Third-Fourth: Perlis 2 Singapore 1, Fifth-Sixth: Kelantan 0 Police 3.
TOMORROW: Division One Final: Kuala Lumpur v Negri Sembilan (5pm); Division Two Final: Selangor v Penang (3pm).