Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Milo Cup return legs merely academic...

UNIKL Young Guns and Tengku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (SSTMI) have virtually sealed a date in the final of the Junior Hockey League Milo Cup after convincing wins in the first leg semi-finals yesterday.
  UniKL hammered SSTMI Juniors 6-0 at the National Hockey Stadium, while SSTMI whitewashed Anderson 8-0 at the Taman Daya Stadium in Johor Baru.
  The return leg semi-finals will be held on Friday, but it would be purely academic as both UniKL and SSTMI are poised to meet in their fourth consecutive Milo Cup final.
  UniKL got their goals off Hafif Elkan (14th, 28th, 59th), Syafiq Zulzairin (17th, 61st) and Syafiq Sumantri (43rd).
  As for SSTMI, their goals were scored by Mohamed Amiruddin (13th), Amirul Aidid (17th, 41st), Shaaril Saabah (27th), Zizie Azwan (35th), Hafiz Seleman (45th, 50th) and Najib Abu Hassan (68th).
  "Im very happy with the big win and it is surely a boost for us as my players pick up the pace in the knock-out stages.
  "There was good team effort in both the quarter-finals as well as today (yesterday) and that is what I am looking from my players," said UniKL coach K. Embaraj.
  RESULTS: Semi-finals (First Leg): Tengku Mahkota Ismail Sports School 8 Andersons 0; UniKL 6 SSTMI Juniors 0.
  FRIDAY: Semi-finals (Second Leg): Andersons v Tengku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (Azlan Shah Stadium, 5pm); SSTMI Juniors v UniKL (Taman Daya, 5pm).   

FIH offer to elevate game..

THE International Hockey Federation (FIH) has offered Malaysia to host at least one international tournament every year, as the parent body look towards elevating the standard of the game in this region.
  This was announced by their president Leandro Negre at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, who paid tribute to the MHC for always being on had to take over tournaments which other countries decline at the eleventh hour.
  "When Germany withdrew as hosts (from the World Hockey League semi-finals), the FIH called MHC and they had no hesitation to offer themselves as hosts," said Negre.
   "Also, when in the past we had to find a replacement host for the Champions Trophy due to the reluctance of teams to go to Pakistan, it was Malaysia that helped saved the day as well.
  "In the past we have had this arrangement of hosting at least one event with India and Netherlands. And from next year Malaysia will be included as well. It is not because they rescued us but also the fact that this country has tremendous facilities for hockey."
   The semis of the World Hockey League to be held on June 29 to July 7 in Johor Baru and will feature Germany, South Korea, Pakistan, England and Malaysia. Three other teams will be determined by the FIH after the Round Two competition comes to an end.
  Malaysia is bidding to host the 2014 Champions Challenge 1 and going by what Negre revealed, they should have no problems securing the tournament when a decision is made by the FIH this September.