Malaysia ccheck into quarter-finals

MALAYSIAN Juniors lived dangerously, and even survived a penalty stroke to beat a stubborn South Africa 2-1 and qualify for the quarter-finals of the Junior World Cup at the Dhyan Chand Stadium yesterday.
   Theor ticket was confirmed when New Zealand held England to a 2-2 draw in another Group D match.
   After the second straight England are their last opponents to decide who tops the group.
   Goalkeeper Hafizuddin Othman had nerves of steel when he palmed away a penalty stroke: "I was not afraid at all, infact, I was determined and confident because I did not want to let my team-mates down. It was my moment, and I am happy I survived the test."
   Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah was happy with the three points, but not the way his boys played.
   "We are heading towards the quarter-finals, but still, I think the boys need to play at a higher level and stop making too many mistakes. They must keep up the momentum, and must beat England at all cost," said Tengku Abdullah.
     Malaysia were lost souls when they gave away a 20 seconds penalty corner to South Africa, and until the 14th minute, handed them another three more penalty corners on a platter after poor defending.
   South Africa bungled the first three penalty corners, but in the 14th minute Matthew Brown sent the ball crashing into the net with a powerfull drag flick.
   There was total collapse as Malaysia kept giving away penalty corners, while their attacks were harmless whizzing balls from left to the right side of the South African goalpost.
   However, luck favoured coach K. Dharmaraj's boys when a shot from outside the semi-circle by Nor Aqmal  Ghaffar was deflected in as an own goal by goalkeeper Rene de la Peyre in the 29th minute.
   After that blunder, Rene pulled off three point-blank saves to keep his team-mates in the match until the half-time hooter.
   Dharmaraj must have worked his magic in the dressing room, because his charges came charging out out and after a series of attacks, Firhan Ashaari scores Malaysia's second goal with a cool attitude in the 42nd minute.
   Thand hgandful of Malaysian supporters at the stadium felt that it was game on after that goal, but there was more erratic play as they lived dangerously with a slim lead.
   They hung by a shoe-string when in the 54th minute, South Africa won a penalty corner but it was turned into a penalty stroke when skipper Fitri Shaari defended with his body. Malaysia asked for a TV referral, but the stroke was upheld.
    Matthew Brown stepped to the spot, and faced goalkeeper Hafizuddin Othman. However, Hafizuddin brought off a super save and Malaysian lived to keep the slim lead with 16 minutes left to play.
   And they killed the clock to take a step closer to the quarter-finals.