Only 16, but Kartik delivers

SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD G. Kavin Kartik delivered a brace when it mattered most to take Negri Sembilan into the final of the Razak Cup after a lapse of 10 years.
Negri started with great determination, and beat Kuala Lumpur in every department yesterday, and both the teams will square off again on Sunday to decide who lifts the Division One title.
The last time Negri made the final was when they hosted the Cup in 1998, but they lost the title to Kuala Lumpur then.
Kartik gave Negri the lead in the 58th minute with a deft penalty corner conversion, after former national skipper S. Kuhan’s handful of attempts were blocked by speedy Kuala Lumpur runners.
And his second goal was also a masterpiece, as his slap-shot slammed into the bottom of the bar, and went crashing in into the net in the 70th minute.
“My players were determined to play in the final, and they played their hearts out for this win. The final will be a different ball game, but we will give our best,” said Negri Sembilan coach Jailani Sulaiman.
RESULTS: Division One -- Johor 1 Perak 4, Kuala Lumpur 0 Negri Sembilan 2, Malacca 4 National Juniors 1.
Division Two: Perlis 4 Singapore 3, Police 3 Kelantan 3, Penang 3 Selangor 5.
TODAY: Division One -- Third-Fourth: Malacca v Perak (5pm); Fifth-Sixth: Juniors v Johor (3pm).
Division Two: Third-Fourth: Perlis v Singapore (7.30am), Fifth-Sixth: Kelantan v Police (9.15am).
TOMORROW: Division One Final: Kuala Lumpur v Negri Sembilan (5pm); Division Two Final: Selangor v Penang (3pm).

FINAL STANDINGS

DIVISION ONE
P W D L F A Pts
KUALA LUMPUR 6 5 0 1 18 6 15
NEGRI SEMBILAN 6 4 1 1 13 5 13
MALACCA 6 4 0 2 13 13 12
PERAK 6 3 1 2 13 10 10
NAT JUNIORS 6 2 1 3 13 13 7
JOHOR 6 0 2 4 5 12 2
ARMED FORCES 6 0 1 5 11 27 1

DIVISION TWO

P W D L F A Pts
SELANGOR 5 5 0 0 20 6 15
PENANG 5 3 1 1 27 13 10
PERLIS 5 3 1 1 15 11 10
SINGAPORE 5 2 0 3 12 15 6
POLICE 5 0 1 4 10 24 1
KELANTAN 5 0 1 4 8 23 1