Sabah are Division Two champs

DEBUTANTS Sabah emerged Division Two champions of the MHF-Milo-NSC Junior League when they beat Penang Frees 4-1 at the Pandamaran Hockey Stadium in Klang yesterday.
Sabah opened accounts in the fifth minute through Eldon Lemery before Harmesh Singh added a second in the 25th. Dick Chany Waili scored in the 50th minute to make it 3-0 but Penang reduced the deficit in the 58th minute through Mohd Shafirul Mohd Noor.
Ahmad Kafeel Ahmad Rashidi added the fourth three minutes from time to ensure Sabah the title and the winner's cash prize of RM7,000.
Sabah and Pahang finished on 21 points but the former won the title on goal difference.
The victory is a morale booster for the Sabah players ahead of next month's Malaysia Games in Malacca.
Team manager Azman Salleh said his team competed in the league for exposure purposes ahead of the Games.
"Winning the title is a bonus. It will definitely give my players the confidence for the Malaysia Games," said Azman in yesterday.
"We will face Bukit Jalil (Sports School) in the second stage and it will be a tough match."
FIXTURES -- Tomorrow, Q-finals: BPSS Thunderbolts v Ipoh City Council (Tun Razak Stadium, 4pm); UNIKL v Pahang (KLHA Stadium, Pantai, 4pm); BJSS v Sabah (Tun Razak Stadium, 6pm); Thursday: PJCC v BJSS Juniors (Tun Razak Stadium; 5pm).