Smooth operator: Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club’s Mohd Amerullah Abdul Aziz celebrates with team-mate Kelvinder Singh (right) after scoring a goal against Nur Insafi during their MHL Premier Division match at the Tun Razak Stadium yesterday. KLHC won 6-0. — GLENN GUAN / The Star KUALA Lumpur Hockey Club (KHLC) blasted Nur Insafi 6- 0 at the Tun Razak Stadium yesterday to consolidate their League title hunt in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) Premier Division.
KLHC are unbeaten after six matches, and are the best bets to lay their hand on the League title two weeks from today.
Nur Insafi played well for 15 minutes, and could have even taken the lead, but crumbled when Amerullah Aziz opened accounts for KHLC in the 17th minute.
After that, it was easy for Kelvinder Singh (18th), Nabil Fiqri (40th), Azli Misron (54th), Firhan Ashaari (62nd) and Harvinder Singh (67th) to get their names on the score-sheet, and Nur Insfi players were more interested in arguing among themselves.
In another match, Tenaga kept their second-pace hopes alive when they edged UniKL-Ibil 2-0 with goals from Faizal Shaari in the 49th minute, and Amin Rahim in the 61st minutes.
In the last match of the day, Maybank and Sapura played to a 2-2 draw. The Maybank goals were scored by Hafifi Hafiz in the 16th and 33rd minutes, while the Sapura goals were scored by S. Kuhan in the 25th minute and Rodhanizam Radzi in the 28th minute.
“We are leading comfortably at the midway point, and aim to keep a strong grip in the remaining matches. I have stressed to my players to be humble and not get carried away, as we still have many tough matches to win.
“The game against Maybank tomorrow (today) is crucial, and we need the three points to make a clean break from the chasing pack,” said KLHC coach R. Vivekanandan.
The only bad news for KLHC is that their striker Ahmad Anuar Sham broke his finger in the last match against Tenaga Nasional, but his replacement Harvinder Singh proved his worth by scoring in his MHL debut.
Harvinder, a junior World Cup player, was fielded for their first time yesterday: “Ahmad Sham will be out for the season, but his replacement Harvinder proved himself with a well placed shot at goal.”
KLHC are virtually the Malaysian national side, and look set to win the League title in their maiden MHL appear ance.
RESULTS: KL Hockey Club 6 Nur Insafi 0, UniKL 0 Tenaga Nasional 2, Sapura 2 Maybank 2.
TODAY: KL Hockey Club v Maybank (4.30pm), Nur Insafi v Tenaga Nasional (6.30pm), UniKL v Sapura (8.30pm).
Note: All matches at the Tun Razak Stadium.
