SSTMI not invincible...

DIVISION One champions Tengku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (SSTMI) have the upper-hand when they play Kuala Lumpur Sports School (KLSS) in the first-leg quarter-finals of the Milo Cup at the Taman Daya Stadium in Johor Baru.
    However SSTMI, last year’s double champions, are not invincible as they lost to a much weaker Anderson of Ipoh 2-3 in their only blemish this season.
    “That was the timely wake-up call that my players needed as complacency was setting into the game. Now that we have retained one title, we will be gunning for the Milo Cup by going all out in the first leg, to ease the return encounter on Sunday,” said SSTMI coach Wan Roslan Wan Rahman.
    League runners-up Petaling Jaya City Council will meet SSTMI Juniors at the National Hockey Stadium, and even though they will not have two key players for both the last eight,  they still have enough fire-power to advance to the semi-finals.
    PJCC will not have Khairol Shafik Kasim, suspended for three matches after picking up two yellow cards in their final league encounter against Tengku Mahkota Ismail Sports School while Asraf Zulzali will have sit out two matches after being flashed a red card against Malacca High School.
    The most balanced tie is between Anderson and Kelantan, as there is little to separate these two teams and both the legs are expected to be a close.
    Kelantan lost play-maker Ashraf Mohamed Noor to a red card, but have many other talented players who can turn the tide on Anderson.
   However, Kelantan play robust hockey and tende to lose their cool when chips are down, while Anderson have matured as the league progressed.
   Anderson also hold the distinction of being the only team that has beaten Tengku Mahkota Ismail Sports School for the past two seasons.
    The other encounter is between UniKL Young Guns and Malacca High School, with the form book favouring the University side.
    In the league meeting, UniKL Young Guns won 4-1, but were a goal down at half-time.
    UniKL will also play with a handicap, as Azrul Hasbullah and Meor Azuan Hasan will be watching the first leg from the stands after collecting maximum demerit points.
    “We must not only win the first leg, but also hold a healthy lead going into the second leg as MHS are a determined side.
   “It is also a question of nailing our chances as we have been goal-shy this season, and this caused us to lose out on the League battle,” said UniKL team manager Faiz Isa.
    TODAY: Quarter-finals (first leg): Tengku Mahkota Ismail Sports School v KL Sports School (Taman Daya, 5pm); Anderson v Kelantan (Azlan Shah Stadium, 5pm); UniKL Young Guns v Malacca High School (National Stadium Pitch I, 5pm); Petaling Jaya CC v SSTMI Juniors (National Stadium Pitch II, 5pm).