Monday, May 23, 2011

BPSS exert revenge in Overall chase

BANDAR Penawar Sports School-TNB won the Junior Hockey League Overall title when they beat UniKL 3-2 in penalty strokes at the Tun Razak Stadium yesterday.
The match ended 2-2, and even extra-time sudden death could not separate the teams, who went to penalty strokes to decide the outcome.
Shahril Saabah scored from the fifth flick to give BPSS the title and revenge over their league defeat.
The final started 75 minutes after its scheduled start due to heavy rain, but the cold and slippery conditions failed to dampen the spirits of players from both teams who played attacking hockey.
And it was UniKL who managed to settle down faster as they attacked BPSS-TNB from the middle and almost had reason to celebrate in the third minute itself, when Taufik Hamid deflected the ball into goal.
Although umpire Mohamed Suhaironizam signaled for goal, he changed his mind after consulting fellow umpire Nor Azhar.
UniKL was awarded their first penalty corner in the ninth minute and instead of a direct attempt by Zulhairi Hashim, the ball was relayed to Azri Hassan who made no mistake with his attempt to put UniKL 1-0 ahead.
BPSS-TNB hit back right away and were awarded a penalty corner in the 10th minute but UniKL keeper Shahrul Azaddin Auskarzie did well to save the attempt.
Howver, Fitri Saari put BPSS-TNB on level terms in the 21st minute as he dribbled several defenders on the right and sent in a reverse stick shot from the edge of the semi circle that caught Shahrul off guard in the UniKL goal.
But UniKL was undeterred with the setback as Zulhairi scored off their second penalty corner in the 28th minute to put his team 2-1, into the breather. It was his 18th goal of the tournament.
However, just as the match restarted, Shahrushdan Basri nets the equaliser for BPSS, and the goal was enough to take the match into extra-time sudden-death.
In the bronze playoff, Bukit Jalil Sports School Juniors beat Bandar Penawar Sports School Juniors 4-1.
It was the perfect execution from penalty corners that gave BJSS JUniors the third spot and RM7,000 while BPSS Juniors received RM5,000.
The BJSS Juniors goals were scored by Zizi Azwan Hassan (10th), Norshafiq Sumantri (42nd), Zulhaziq Hashim (55th) and Hafifi Elkan (61st).
M. Saravanan scored the BPSS Juniors consolation in the 15th minute.
RESULTS -- Final: Bandar Penawar Sports School 2 UniKL 2 (BPSS win 3-2 on penalty strokes); Third-Fourth: Bukit Jalil Sports School Juniors 4 Bandar Penawar Sports School Juniors 1.

Saved from being a side-show..

THE RAZAK Cup hocky tournament was saved from being just another side-show, when the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) agreed to release national players to play for their respective states in the Qualifying zones, which will begin on May 27.
MHF deputy president Datuk Nur Azmi Ahmad said chief coach Tai Beng Hai has agreed to allow 25 national players to play in the qualifying zones of the Razak Cup.
“However, the national players will be only released on weekends to play for their respective states in the qualifying zones. But on week days they will train with the national team,” said Nur Azmi.
The national team, who finished last in the seven-nation Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, will start their second phase of training for the Olympic Qualifiers today.
Their next assignment is a Four-nation in Moscow on June 20-26 which involves Malaysia, Russia, Ukraine and South Africa.
For the Razak Cup, the East zone will only have Kelantan and Pahang in the qualifying rounds as Terengganu and Police withdrew.
“Even though there are only two teams in East zone but both Kelantan and Pahang will still feature in the qualifying round,” said Nur Azmi.
This year’s tournament enters a new era with introduction of five new qualifying zones where 17 teams will play in a qualifier which ends on July 3.
The top two teams from five zones will qualify for Division One while the bottom two will play in Division Two.
The final round of the tournament will be held at the Bukit Serendit Hockey Stadium in Malacca on July 20-30.
The teams in Northern zone are Perlis, Kedah, Penang and Armed Forces while Division One defending champions Kuala Lumpur, Perak, Selangor and National Under-16 team will feature in the Central zone.
Negri Sembilan, Malacca and Johor will compete in Southern zone while Sabah, Sarawak, Labuan and Brunei will lay in the West zone.