Malacca Boys lift 5s title

 Champions: Malacca Boys with UPM Vice Chancellor Prof Dato Dr. Mohammad Fauzi Haji Ramlan

MALACCA Boys were crowned champions in the Second Edition of the UPM Hockey 5's at the Ministry of Education Stadium in Kuala Lumpur when they beat Star Klang A 3-1 in the final.
  In the girls category, the title went to Kuala Lumpur Sports School A who beat Convent Bukit Nenas HT 4-1.
  A total of 24 Under-16 teams competed in the day long tournament organised by the UPM Sports Academy and supported by Milo, Sports Unite and Selangor Hockey Association.


Special Awards

Boys'
Best Goalkeeper : Farhan Syarin Hassan ( Malacca Boys)
Top Scorer: Mohd Izham ( Akademi Hoki Pahang)
Best Player: Muhd Nor Asyraf Ishak ( Malacca Boys)

Girls'
Best Goalkeeper : Siti Zalina ( KLSS A)
Top Scorer Asidah Nawar ( KLSS A)
Best Player : Nadia Aqilah ( KLSS A)

Boys'
Champions : Malacca Boys
Runners Up: Star Klang A
Third : Akademi Sukan Pahang
Fourth : Pahang Sports School

Girls'
Champion: KL Sports School A
Runner Up: Convent Bukit Nenas HT
Third: KL Sports School C
Fourth: Star Klang Girls

TNB CUP FINAL: Too close to call

KUALA Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) will be out to defend their TNB Cup, while Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) wants to lay their hands on a new trophy in what is expected to be an explosive Malaysia Hockey League final today.
  THT has already robbed KLHC of their League title, but coach K. Dharmaraj is not willing to lose the second trophy.
  "It will not be easy for us to defend the TNB Cup against a team teeming with speedy forwards, but we won't make it easy for them too as we aim to defend out title at all cost," said KLHC coach K. Dharmaraj.
  THT coach Sarjit Singh, in his usual laid-back manner, said his team are ready to be crowned double champions.
  "When we selected the local players and went hunting for Koreans, we had the double in mind and after winning the League, I believe my players are capable of winning the TNB Cup as well," said Sarjit.
  KLHC had to sweat buckets in the semi-finals as Tenaga held them to 1-1 and 2-2 draws, before bowing out 3-1 on penalties.
  THT were beaten 3-2 by Maybank, before romping home 8-1 with style.
  There will also be another contest on the field as national No 1 penalty corner flicker Razie Rahim of KLHC tries to score as well as stop current top top scorer Faizal Saari tried to increase his 14 goal tally.
  Razie, with 12 goals, also has the daunting task of trying to stop THT's Korean terror Jang Jong-Hyun from increasing his nine-goal tally during penalty corners.
  But the lanky lad has played in seven finals for KLHC, and is not worried with the heavy task on his shoulders.
  "My team-mates will depend on me to score off penalty corners as well as defend penalty corners but it does not worry me much, as I am a team player and personal glory like top-scorer do not matter to me.
  "All that matters is that I combine well with my mates to delieve the TNB Cup to our club," said Razie.
  Jang, South Korea's No 1 penalty corner flicker, has not been consistent but can be deadly: "We have been playing well this season, and I believe we have enough good players to give KLHC a very good fight in the final."
  For the record, KLHC beat THT 2-1 in Round One, but THT thrashed Dharmaraj's side 5-1 in Round Two.
  TODAY: TNB CUP Final: KLHC v TNT (5pm, Pitch II); Third-Fourth: Maybank v Tenaga (3pm, Pitch II).

Terengganu v KLHC final

LEAGUE champions Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) blasted Maybank into orbit in the second leg of the TNB CUP semi-finals to set up a final date with Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) on Sunday.
  KLHC, who drew 1-1 with Tenaga in the first leg, were held to a 2-2 draw by  the Utility Giants yesterday. The match went into penalties and KLHC won 3-1.
    
 
 RESULTS -- Semi-finals Second Leg:
 Terengganu Hockey Team 8 Maybank 1.
 (THT win on 10-4 aggregate)
 Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club 2 Tenaga 2.
 (KLHC and Tenaga tied on 3-3 aggregate; KLHC win 3-1 on penalties).

Tenaga youth show maturity..

ALL-LOCAL outfit Tenaga Nasional are enjoying their rare moment under the sun, as they enter the second leg semi-finals of the TNB Cup on level terms with raging favourites Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC).
  And Maybank Tigers finally bared their fangs when they beat League champions Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) 3-2 and are looking dangerous going into the return leg today.
  Maybank were a docile side in the League as they only had five draws and five defeats to show, but the knock-out has brought out the best in their stripes.
  Maybank, trailing UniKL 3-1 in the knock-out stage, upset the formbook and won 4-1 for a 5-4 aggregate to book their semis ticket. And the upset of the season was when they beat THT at their own turf in Kuala Terengganu, a venue where they were hammered 6-1 by coach Sarjit Singh's million-Ringgit outfit.
  However, the story of the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) is not on the semi-finalists with all four teams still alive going into the second leg, but Tenaga's blooding of youth.
  Tenaga Nasional, who are the only team fielding an all-local side, have 15 under-24 players who played with confidence to help their team hold four-time consecutive double champions KLHC to a 1-1 draw.
  Overall, the Utility Giants have the largest number of youth, as they only relied on five seasoned players to hold the fort, and did not hire foreign hands.
  "We will be playing KLHC for the fourth time on Friday, and it looks like my young brigade have finally found their footing. They not only helped keep alive the club's aspirations of playing in the final, but their maturity will also help the country in the long run.
  "We had this in mind when we declined the management's suggestion to hire foreign players before the league started. As the argument was that if we give away slots in the club to foreign imports, we will not achieve our ambition of nurturing youth for the country," said Tenaga coach Nor Saiful Zaini, a former national skipper.
   In their three encounters against KLHC, Tenaga lost the Charity Shield 5-3, second round 3-1 and drew the semis 1-1.
  "We have managed to close them gap on KLHC after three matches, and hopefully, walk away with a win tomorrow (today)," said Nur Saiful Zaini.
  But there is gloom in the club and also bad news for the national team's preparations for the World League Round Two in Singapore on Jan 17-25 as prolific striker Shahril Saabah picked up a shoulder injury and will be out for at least two weeks.
  As for KLHC, coach K. Dharmaraj rued the 10-day rest: "I think the 10 day rest we had while waiting for our semi-finals opponents cooled down my team, while Tenaga playe two extra games to keep their momentum intact. The Tenaga youth have also shown tremendous progress and it will not be easy in the return leg."
  TODAY -- Semi-finals Return Leg: Maybank (3) v Terengganu HT (2) (Bukit Jalil Pitch II, 6pm); Kuala Lumpur HC (1) v Tenaga (1) (Bukit Jalil Pitch II, 8pm).
  Note: First leg scores in parenthesis.

Maybank Tigers roar in Terengganu..

MAYBANK turned giantkillers when they beat Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) League champions Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) 3-2 in the first leg of the TNB Cup semi-finals in Kuala Terengganu yesterday.
  In the second semi-finals Tenaga and Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club played to a 1-1 draw, so both the return leg semi-finals are expected to be explosive affairs.  Razie Rahim (12th) scored for KLHC, while Izad Hakimi (51st) replied for Tenaga.
    The Tigers were trailing by a goal when THT's Fitri Saari scored a field goal in the 31st minute, but   Jiwa Mohan (36th) and Shakeel Abassi (45th) gave Maybank the lifeline they needed.
  Even though Baljit Singh Sarjab leveled the score to 2-2 for THT in the 50th minute, Pakistan import Shakeel nailed the win with a 58th minute field goal.
   It was the first defeat for THT at their own backyard. The only other team to beat THT was KLHC 2-1 in the First Round of the MHL at Bukit Jalil. And for the record, it was only the second win for Maybank this season.
    The second leg will be played in Bukit Jalil on Friday: "I can say that we were qite lucky to beat THT at their own turf as we lost 6-1 in Terengganu and 4-3 in Kuala Lumur to them in the League. The second leg is still there to play and the celebrations will be on hold until we finish the other four quarters," said Maybank coach Wallace Tan.
   THT coach Sarjit Singh said Maybank goalkeeper German Moritz Knobloch played exceptionally well, but he is confident his charges will bounce back in the return leg.
  "Maybank's penalty corner run-out was super clean while their German goalkeeper was also at his best to stop my strikers. But we have the return leg to make amends, and I am confident we will win and advance to the final," said Sarjit.
   RESULTS: Semi-finals First Leg: Terengganu HT 2 Maybank 3; Tenaga 1 Kuala Lumpur HC 1.
   FRIDAY -- Semi-finals Return Leg: Maybank v Terengganu HT (Bukit Jalil Pitch II, 6pm); Kuala Lumpur HC v Tenaga (Bukit Jalil Pitch II, 8pm).

Time not on Tenaga and Maybank's side..

MAYBANK and Tenaga need to buck-up fast, but unfortunately, time is not on their side as they prepare to face Malaysia Hockey League giants in the TNB Cup semi-finals on Wednesday.
  Maybank travel to Kuala Terengganu to play League champions Terengganu HT (THT), while Tenaga play Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) at Bukit Jalil.
  However, both the return legs will be played at Bukit Jalil on Friday.
  Maybank morphed just in time to reverse their 1-3 defeat to UniKL and romped into the semi-finals on a 5-4 aggregate, and THT coach Sarjit Singh knows he can't take the Tigers for granted.
  For the record, THT beat Maybank 4-3 and then 6-1 in the two-round League.
  "Maybank showed their classy side when they overcame a two-goal deficit to play in the semi-final. UniKL is not an easy team, but Maybank made them look bad with some powerful team-work.
  "I think the Tigers have arrived at the right time, and we will not take them for granted even though we have a good record against them. Records don't matter in any knock-out situation," said Sarjit.
  The bad news for Maybank coach Wallace Tan is that all THT players are free from injury and suspension.
  "Credit to my players for rising to the occasion and earning a semi-finals berth. But THT are in a different league all together, and playing them in Kuala Terengganu will not be easy, as we were hit 6-1 there in Round Two.
  "But having said that, we are just two matches away from playing in the final, and have nothing to lose but much to gain," said Wallace.
   As for Tenaga coach Nor Saiful Zaini: "We did just enough to reach the semi-finals. Despite winning both legs against Sapura, I’m not satisfied with my team’s performance. We gave away a couple of soft goals and we also failed to convert many chances in both the matches. We have to improve both the chinks to stay alive in the semi-finals.”
  KLHC hold the upper-hand as they beat Tenaga 5-3 in the Charity Shield, and 3-1 in Round Two.
  FIXTURES -- Dec 10: Semi-finals First Leg: Terengganu HT v Maybank (Kuala Terengganu, 5pm); Tenaga v Kuala Lumpur HC (Bukit Jalil Pitch II, 6pm).
  Dec 12 -- Return Leg: Maybank v Terengganu HT (Bukit Jalil Pitch II, 6pm); Kuala Lumpur HC v Tenaga (Bukit Jalil Pitch II, 8pm).

Amazing Maybank Tigers

MAYBANK Tigers turned the tables on UniKL when they won the second leg TNB Cup knock out 4-1 to advance into the semi-finals of the Malaysia Hockey League on a 5-4 aggregate.
  It was an amazing comeback, as Maybank lost the first leg 3-1, and will now meet League champions Terengganu Hockey Team in the semis.
  In the other knock-out, Tenaga Nasional beat Sapura 4-2 to advance on an 8-5 aggregate and will square off against Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club in the other semis.
  "This is our first win of the season (as Maybank drew 5 and lost 5 in the League) and it came at a crucial time as my players went all out to claim a spot in the semifinals. They knew it was their last chance to redeem their season, and after a 1-3 defeat in the first leg, they decided to give their all and reverse the club's fortunes.
  "Now we have a wek's rest before we play against League champions THT, and again, anything can happen as my players received a big boost today (yesterday)," said Maybanl coach Wallace Tan.
  The Maybank goals were scored by Hafifihafiz Hanafi (seventh, 45th) and Mohamed Zulhairi (11th, 42nd).
    Kevin Lim (13th) scored for UniKL.
  As for Tenaga, they got their goals off Azril Misron (ninth), Najib Abu HAssan (25th),    Norhizzat Sumantri (36th) and Izzad Hakimi (57th).
   The Sapura goals were scored by Khasif Ali (29th) and Shahzad Aamir (37th).
  RESULTS: Second Leg: Sapura  2 Tenaga 4.
  (Tenaga win 8-5 on aggregate)
Maybank 4 UniKL 1.
  (Maybank win 5-4 on aggregate).

TNB Cup: Slim leads...

THE Malaysia Hockey League TNB Cup knock-out stage is still an open affair, as slim leads were taken in the first leg on Friday.
  Today, Sapura will attempt to turn the tables on Tenaga after losing 4-3, while Maybank will have to play the match of their season to upset UniKL who hold a 3-1 score.
  The top-two teams Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) and Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) rest at the sidelines as their semi-final opponents battle it out today as winners of the UniKL-Maybank match will meet THT, while KLHC await the winners of the Sapura-TNB knock-out.
  UniKL will be attempting to rewrite their club history by making the MHL semi-finals since making their debut in 2009.
  "We will definitely be preparing for another win tomorrow (today) and we are willing to play ugly if necessary. Ugly in the sense that we will be playing hard and going for every ball, not dirty,” said UniKL coach Arul Selvaraj.
   “I anticipate Maybank to search for an early goal so we will devise a plan to address that and to come out from the pressure Maybank is expected to apply early in the match. UniKL thrive on teamwork so I have to make sure that everyone are on the same page tactically and mentally.”
   Meanwhile, TNB are faced with a trickier task as they hold a one-goal lead:
“The second-leg is going to be very tough and we need to do our best. Although we did not perform well defensively in the first-leg, I’m happy that we were able to score four goals. We have struggled in that aspect throughout the season and that should be the turning point for us to chase for a ticket to play in the semi-finals,” said Tenaga coach Nor Saiful Zaini.
  TODAY: Sapura (3) v Tenaga (4) (6pm, Pitch II); Maybank (1) v UniKL (3) (8pm, Pitch II ).
  Note: First Leg scores in parenthesis.

UniKL 3 Maybank 1

UNIKL took a step closer to the semi-finals when they beat Maybank 3-1 in the knock-out stage of the TNB Cup at the national stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.
  In the other match, Tenaga Nasional edged Sapura 4-3 to keep their fire burning.
  However, UniKL did not have it easy as Hafifi Hafiz gave Maybank the lead in the 24th minute off a field goal, but the Tigers campaign fizzled out after that.
  Patrick Schultz gave UniKL a life-line with a field goal in the 32 minute, and Sufi Ismat (46th) and Phillipp Stahr (52nd) made sure full points head towards the university side before they clash again in the return leg on Sunday.
  UniKL coach Arul Selvaraj was pleased as punch: "It not over yet, but we did what was needed to take the three points into the return leg. After a low-key Round One in the League, we came back strongly in Round Two, and now game no 11 we have shown that we have improved with every game."
   And Arul is already planning for the return leg: "We will need to keep our feet firmly on the ground, as there is the second leg to play Sunday. But I am confident my players will not disappoint."
   The top-two teams Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) and Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) rest at the sidelines as their semi-final opponents battle it out this weekend as winners of the UniKL-Maybank match will meet THT, while KLHC awaits the winners of the Sapura-TNB knock-out.
   The Tenaga goals were scored by  Shahril Saabah (17th), Amin Rahim (30th, 41st), Ramadan Rosli (54th); while the Sapura goals were scored by Muhammad Zubair(fourth), Khasif Ali (27th) and Izwan Firdaus (53rd).
   RESULTS: Today: UniKL 3 Maybank 1; Tenaga 4 Sapura 3.
  Sunday: Sapura v Tenaga (6pm, Pitch II); Maybank v UniKL (8pm, Pitch II ) .

UniKL aim to tame Tigers..

HIGH-FLYING UniKL will tread with caution when they face wounded Maybank Tigers in the knock-out stage of the TNB Cup at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil today.
  The other Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) Premier Division knock out will be between Tenaga Nasional and Sapura.
  The top-two teams Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) and Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) rest at the sidelines as their semi-final opponents battle it out this weekend as winners of the UniKL-Maybank match will meet THT, while KLHC awaits the winners of the Sapura-TNB knock-out.
  Even though entering the crucial stage at the back of a 5-1 win over KLHC, UniKL have their feet rooted on the ground: "We're very happy with the high note 5-1 win over KLHC, but we know the knock-out is a different game all together.  "Maybank is well known for doing well in the knock-out stages in previous seasons, and being winless (five draws) this season, the Tigers will definitely be out to make an impact as well,” say UniKL Hockey president Amir Azhar Ibrahim.
  For the record, UniKL and Maybank played to 1-1 and 0-0 draws in the League.
  UniKL coach Arul Selvaraj said they want to play in the semi-finals: We have continued to improve as a team and are finally getting the results we deserve. That result against KLHC will serve as a strong motivation for us,” he said.
   Arul, who is a former Maybank player, said he is well aware of what they are capable of.
   “They have talented players such like Shakeel Abassi (Pakistan) and Jiwa Mohan. I also know that Maybank are extremely thorough when it comes to preparing for big games like this. But instead of focusing on our opponents, I would much rather focus on my team and ensure that we give a good performance. That is how I have approached all of our previous games”, said Arul.
  In the other knock-out, Tenaga coach Nor Saiful Zaini said finishing third in the League was a disappointment they want to erase in the TNB Cup.
  “Our goal was to at least finish in second place. But unfortunately that did not happen and now we must do our best to book a place in the final of the TNB Cup. It won’t be easy as every team will be battling hard to progress to the next round,” said Nor Saiful.
  For the record, Tenaga hold a 1-0 and 2-0 win record over Sapura.
  FIXTURES: Today: UniKL v Maybank (6pm, Pitch II ); Tenaga v Sapura (8pm, Pitch II).
  Sunday: Maybank v UniKL (8pm, Pitch II ); Sapura v Tenaga (6pm, Pitch II).
   

Hockey 5s gets a boost..

High 5s (from left) Selangor HA Secretary General P. Kuganeson, Nestle Products sports marketing manager Ng Ping Loong, MHC vice-president S. Shamala, Selangor HA president Datuk Sri Subahan Kamal.

THE introduction of Hockey 5s, which made its debut at the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympics, could just be the answer to nurturing a bigger pool of players in the country.
  With this in mind, the Unity Hockey 5s will be held for the second year running at the Ministry of Education pitch in Kuala Lumpur on Dec 13.
  There will be a total of 10 Under-16 teams in both the boys' and girls' categories with seven players in each team.
   Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) senior vice-president S. Shamala believes said the five-a side tournament could complement the 11-a-side games in terms of supplying talent to junior and senior teams.
  And the Selangor Hockey Association (SHA) has already given its assurance they would organise at least one tournament next year while the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) have discussed the format of play for starters.
  "Hockey 5s has the potential to emulate what futsal has done for football... more people are playing the sport," said Shamala after launching Unity Hockey 5s one-day competition at Wisma OCM.
  "The format is more exciting because of it's fast nature. Furthermore, it's easier to put up a team for the 5s as it requires less players.
   "We (MHC) have discussed the format and I believe its prominence would be reflected in the 2015 calendar as we need to do more research and development and have more seminars, especially for coaching and umpiring," she said.
  The 5s was first introduced at the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympics, and is being promoted by University Putra Malaysia (UPM), Selangor HA, Milo and Sports Unite.
  Teams will play two six-minute halves with a one minute break at halftime. Scoring is allowed from anywhere in the pitch and one-on-one challenge replaces the penalty corners.   

Irish power for Malaysian Open

IRISHMEN Graeme McDowell and Paul McGinley are the latest attraction to confirm for the Maybank Malaysian Open on Feb 5-8 at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.
   They will join a stellar cast of 156 players from the Asian Tour and European Tour for a shot at the prestigious title.
  One of the finest shot-makers in the game, McDowell is a name that is recognised worldwide when he upstaged Tiger Woods in the 2010 Chevron World Challenge.
  He also successfully defended his title at the Alstom Open de France in June, where he overcame Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand, a former two-time Malaysian Open winner, and American Kevin Stadler by a single stroke, which saw him reach 10 European Tour wins.
  Having played an integral part in three European Ryder Cup-winning teams, McDowell knows a thing or two about converting putts when it matters.
   A Ryder Cup legend, McGinley needs little introduction to local golf fans after his iconic leadership of Team Europe in Scotland.
   With nine worldwide victories to his name, including four on the European Tour, McGinley will bring his personal charisma and tireless work ethics to the fore at KLGCC.
  “Next year, as we celebrate the 10th year as title sponsor of the Malaysian Open, we continue with the tradition of bringing a selection of golfing personalities to Malaysia. McDowell and McGinley, fresh from recent victories and with charisma attracting a huge worldwide following as they display consistently high standards of sportsmanship, integrity and grit; offering fans exciting and competitive golf every time,” said Tan Sri Megat Zaharuddin Megat Nor, Chairman of Maybank
   “We are proud of our role in the Maybank Malaysian Open, showcasing a world class tournament steeped in Malaysian history. Its schedule, in the early part of the professional season, has produced surprising winners, young and not so young, and I expect this next version to yield similar excitement and outcomes.”
   The Malaysian Golf Association (MGA) reinforced the critical role that the tournament has played in expanding the reach of the game at a professional level in the country as well.
   “The Maybank Malaysian Open represents a consistent and considerable investment towards the development of the Malaysian golfing scene with the largest allocation of playing spots to top local professionals and amateurs who want to participate in the tournament," said MGA president Admiral (R) Tan Sri Anwar Mohd Nor.

Good draw for UniKL

THE Malaysia Hockey League Premier Division knock-out draw was done Thursday with seeded teams Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) and Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) getting a 10-day break to recuperate.
  And while the leaders unwind and recover from the bruising league, four other teams will be involved in a home-and away to decide the semi-finalists on Dec 5 and 7.
  Maybank and UniKL drew lots to play each other, while Sapura will meet Tenaga Nasional in the knock-out to decide the other two semi-finalists. The final will be held on Dec 14.
  The winners in the Maybank-UniKL will face THT, while winners of the Sapura-Tenaga match will face KLHC in the semi-finals.
    UniKL were as pleased as punch to face winless Maybank, who only had five draws to show from 10 matches: "We are fortunate to face Maybank as we believe that we have a fighting chance of beating them in the two leg knock-out," said UniKL manager Mohamed Faiz Isa.
  Both the teams met twice in the league and on both occasions the match ended in a draw 1-1 and 0-0.
 Faiz said that they would not have the services of two key players forward Jonas Weinhardt and midfielder Nor Azrul for the knockout stage.
“Jonas is down with ankle injury while Azrul is recovering from a hamstring injury,” said Faiz.
Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) competition committee chairman M. Gobinathan said they received complaints from teams regarding of umpiring.
“I assured the teams that only quality umpires will officiate for the knockout stage matches,” said Gobinathan.
  FIXTURES: Dec 5: UniKL v Maybank (6pm, Pitch II ); Tenaga v Sapura (8pm, Pitch II).
Dec 7: Maybank v UniKL (8pm, Pitch II ); Sapura v Tenaga (6pm, Pitch II).

THT: Now for the second title..

TERENGGANU Hockey Team (THT) spent millions to buy the best local talent, as well as five South Koreans, to land their first Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) Premier Division League title after two seasons.
  And Kuala Lumpur HC, the other rich kid on the block, were denied their ninth League title, as well as their four-cosecutive double streak was finally broken.
  There are only six teams in the Premier Division, but one could safely say that at least a total of eight million could have been spent this season.
  THT coach Sarjit Singh said even though they finished fifth in their debut season, the plan was to win a double this year.
  "We have achieved one goal, and now we are looking to nail the double as well. THT has spent much to form this side, and we need to deliver the silverware now.
  "My contract is for two years with THT, with an option to renew. And I can safely say that we will be much better next season as we have many plans, including developing local juniors for the long run," said Sarjit.
  The Giant-Killers of this season title went to UniKL when they hammered KLHC 5-1 on Sunday.
  UniKL deserve the accolades, as they almost lost their best penalty corner flicker Nor Aqmal who suffered a deep gash near his left eye which needed 10 stitchers and spend the night at the hospital.
  UniKL had lost 4-0 to KLHC in Round One, so the reverse was not expected from them.
  However, KLHC coach K. Dharmaraj doused some of their fire when he said that he had given more time to his reserves to prepare for the knock-out.
  "Once we lost to THT (5-1) in Kuala Terengganu and had to chase nine goals, I decided that it would be useless to make a dash for goals against UniKL so in went the reserve goalkeeper (Hakim Adnan) for his first match of the season.
  "I also gave more time to all my bench warmers as for me. For me its simple, if I can't win the title, it is useless to push the players to the limit as we will finish second anyway.
  "This way, the team avoided unnecessary cards and injuries, and I tested some fringe players and one can see from the result how they played," said Dharmaraj.
  THT and KLHC are now the seeded teams, and a draw will be held today to pair the other four teams. The top-two teams receive a bye and about 10 days of rest, while the other four teams play to decide who moves into the semi-finals.

FINAL STANDINGS

P W D L  F     A  Pts

TERENGGANU      10  9 0 1  51    18    27
KLHC            10  8 0 2  31    18    24
TENAGA          10  4 1 5  18    20    13
UNIKL           10  2 3 5  14    26     9
SAPURA          10  1 3 6  17    35     6
MAYBANK         10  0 5 5  16    30     5

First title for THT

TERENGGANU Hockey Team (THT) lifted the Malaysia
Hockey League (MHL) Premier Division League title in
style when they hammered Sapura 9-2 in Kuala
Terengganu yesterday.
  The THT goals were scored by Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin
(eighth), Fitri Saari (ninth), Faizal Saari (14th),
Firhan Ashaari (15th, 49th), Ismail Abu (15th), Seo
Jong Ho (16th), Sobirin Lias (30th), Firhan Ashaari
(49th), and Seo Jong Ho (52nd).
  The Sapura goals were scored by Faridzul Afiq
(third), Khasif Ali (38th).
  "Even though we are only two years old in the MHL, a
solid team display has landed us our first League
title and I am very proud of my players.
  "Now, we will go for the Overall title as well in
the knock-out stage," said THT coach Sarjit Singh.
  Both THT and KLHC are the seeded teams, while the
other four teams will play among each other and the
two winners will enter the semi-finals as well.
Razie Rahim of KLHC and Faizal Saari of THT ended
joint-top scorers in the League with 11 goals each.

 

P W D L  F     A  Pts

TERENGGANU      10  9 0 1  51    18    27
KLHC            10  8 0 2  31    18    24
TENAGA          10  4 1 5  18    20    13
UNIKL           10  2 3 5  14    26     9
SAPURA          10  1 3 6  17    35     6
MAYBANK         10  0 5 5  16    30     5

RESULTS: Terengganu 9 Sapura 2; UniKL 5 KLHC 1; Tenaga
3 Maybank 3.

Joseph de Silva's moment...

THE face of OLAK.

Old La Sallians Association of Klang team manager and driving force Joseph de Silva, who has produced a handful of national players over the years, received recognition at a recent dinner hosted by his club.
  He was awarded the Hockey For Life Dedication Award.
 Joe is among a handful of Malaysian's who gave his life for the sport he loves....

League title slants towards THT

TWO-SEASON side Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) has poured in millions into their outfit, and are finally staring at their first silverware in the Premier Division of the Malaysia Hockey League.
  THT slaughtered double champions Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club 5-1 on Friday to finally arrive after finishing fifth in their debut season.
  And with a nine-goal advantage, THT only need to beat Sapura to claim their title. For the record, THT beat Sapura 8-4 in Round One.
  KLHC play UniKL for three points, while keeping their fingers crossed that THT crumble, or draw against Sapura.
  UniKL have shown progress in Round Two by beating Tenaga and then holding Maybank to a draw, however, they were soundly beaten 0-4 by KLHC in Round One.
  "UniKL will continue with their league progress and improvement as a team and will not focusing too much on the league position. What is important tomorrow (today) is for the team to continue to play better and reverse the 0-4 loss to KLHC in order to face the knock-out challenge on high spirits," said UniKL Hockey Club president Amir Azhar Ibrahim.
  "Our only blemish was a 2-1 defeat to KLHC in Round One, and when we went back to our home turf in Kuala Terengganu, the target was to win maximum 15 points.
  "We have overcome the biggest challenge by beating KLHC, and will play a simple game to win three points off Sapura and claim the League title," said THT coach Sarjit Singh.
  THT's No 1 fan Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Razif turned up for the KLHC clash in Kuala Lumpur, where his side were edged 2-1.
  "We have a solid backing from the state government as well as the fans in Kuala Terengganu who have turned up at the stadium by the thousands even in pouring rain.
  "The team will give its best against Sapura, as we are just a step away from rewarding our loyal fans," said Sarjit.
  While acknowledging that they will face an uphill task to beat KLHC, Sapura assistant manager S. Kuhan said: "We will be entering the pitch, like always, looking for a win and will not throw in the towel until the four quarters are over. There is nothing to lose for us, while if we win, we will be assured of finishing fourth in the League."
  
                P W D L  F     A  Pts

TERENGGANU      9 8 0 1  42    16    24
KLHC            9 8 0 1  30    13    24
TENAGA          9 4 0 5  15    17    12
SAPURA          9 1 3 5  15    26     6
UNIKL           9 1 3 5  9     25     6
MAYBANK         9 0 4 5  13    27     4

SUNDAY: KLHC v UniKL (6pm, Pitch I); Maybank v Tenaga (6pm, Pitch II); Terengganu v Sapura (5pm, Kuala Terengganu).

THT hammer KLHC 5-1

TERENGGANU Hockey Team (THT) demolished Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) 5-1 to re-ignite their chances of winning the first League title in the Malaysia Hockey League Premier Division.
   The match was supposed to be a close affair but THT, playing in Kuala Terengganu, now have a nine-goal advantage over the double champions, and their last match against Sapura tomorrow will decide their fate.
  KLHC are in a difficult situation to chase the goal-count, as they meet UniKL and need to score double digits if they want to win their ninth League title.
   "It was a magical moment for us, as my players went onto the pitch motivated to win at all cost. Credit goes to the players for playing their best hockey ever, and now we will be looking for three more points from Sapura Sunday," said THT coach Sarjit Singh.
    There was a heavy downpour before the match, but the pitch dried up fast on one side while remained heavy on the other: "The pitch was a little heavy, but my players mastered it early to score quick goals to douse the fight in KLHC. The crowd was really fantastic as about 4,000 turned up to cheer their team," said Sarjit.
  "We need a miracle now to win the title, as it is out of our hands. We have to hope for Sapura to draw or win against THT, while we play out normal game aganst UniKL to wrap-up our fixtures.
  "The pitch played a big role in our defeat as it was heavy and a little water-logged on our side in the first half and THT took good advantage of dead balls to score early goals. Anyway, there is still one match to go and anything can happen," said KLHC coach K. Dharmaraj.
    THT's Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin started the goalcount in the eight minute, while the other goals were scored by Korean imports Seo Jong Ho (17th, 31st) and Jang Jong Hyun (22nd, 38th).
   Syamim Yusof socred the KLHC consolation in the 45th minute.
                             
                P W D L  F     A  Pts

TERENGGANU      9 8 0 1  42    16    24
KLHC                      9 8 0 1  30    13    24
TENAGA                9 4 0 5  15    17    12
SAPURA               9 1 3 5  15    26     6
UNIKL                  9 1 3 5  9     25     6
MAYBANK         9 0 4 5  13    27     4

RESULTS: Terengganu 5 KLHC 1; UniKL 0 Maybank 0; Sapura 0 Tenaga 2.
TOMORROW: KLHC v UniKL (6pm, Pitch I); Maybank v Tenaga (6pm, Pitch II); Terengganu v Sapura (5pm, Kuala Terengganu).

Explosive Friday: THT v KLHC

THE Malaysia Hockey League Premier Division League title could be decided in Kuala Terengganu Friday.
  Double champions for the fourth consecutive season, KLHC, who also have nine League titles to their name, will square off against two-season side Terengganu Hockey Team (THT).
  If KLHC wins or pulls off a draw, it will be all over, but if THT wins, it will go down to the goals scored.
  Right now, KLHC have 21 goals while THT 22. On Sunday, THT play their last match against Sapura while KLHC have UniKL as their last fixture.
  THT coach Sarjit Singh is aware that his team must be at their very best against KLHC, despite their home advantage. He is however buoyed by the fact that his side are heading into this cruncher at the back of a resounding 6-1 win over Maybank.
   “Our big win against Maybank has given us the motivation we need for the crucial clash against KLHC. It will be a very tough game, but we know that we have to do whatever it takes to secure a victory,” said Sarjit.
   There will be another enticing battle on the pitch today between THT’s Faizal Saari and KLHC’s Razie Rahim. Both have scored 10 goals each in the league thus far, making them strong contenders for the top-scorers award.
  But instead of focusing on personal accolades, KLHC skipper Razie is more determined to ensure his team defend their title this season.
  “I’m not really focusing on the top-scorer award. I’m more interested in playing as a team, and securing three points against THT. It will be a very difficult game but we will definitely try our best,” he said.
  For the record, KLHC edged THT 2-1 in Round One.
  FRIDAY: UniKL v Maybank (6pm, Pitch 1); Sapura v TNB (8pm, Pitch 2); Terengganu Hockey Team v KLHC (5pm, Kuala Terengganu).
  SUNDAY: KLHC v UniKL (6pm, Pitch I); Maybank v Tenaga (6pm, Pitch II); THT v Sapura (5pm, Kuala Terengganu).


              P W D L  F     A  Pts

KLHC          8 8 0 0  29    8  24
TERENGGANU    8 7 0 1  37    15 21
TENAGA        8 3 0 5  13    17  9
SAPURA        8 1 3 4  15    24  6
UNIKL         8 1 2 5  9     25  5
MAYBANK       8 0 3 5  13    27  3

MHL: No new talent spotted...

THE Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) Premier Division is at its tail end, and national chief coach Tai Beng Hai has not spotted any new talent in the six-team tournament.
  The MHL was mooted with an eye to give promising players a platform to be spotted by selectors, but is has failed in its primary objective this season.
  "No, I have not seen any new player who has made a mark in the MHL. Those who have been doing well are national and Project Players (2013 and 2016) or those who have been called-up for national training before but did not make a cut," said Beng Hai who is also the Sapura coach.
  And with that, Beng Hai will select 25 established players for World League Round Two training when the MHL preliminary round ends on Nov 30.
  The World League Round Two will be held in Singapore on Jan 17-25. Malaysia are top-seeded while the other teams are Singapore, Japan, Bangladesh, Oman, Ukraine and Poland. One more country will join the line-up after the Round One tournament in Suva, Fiji, on Dec 6-13.
  The top-three teams in Singapore will play in the World League Semi-finals for a shot at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
  The MHL turned into a circus on Sunday when officials decided to post-pone the UniKL-Tenaga match to Wednesday after a heavy downpour. An announcement was made over the PA system which caught both the teams by surprise as they were ready to play and the rain had stopped.
  Team officials from both sides were fuming mad as they were not consulted before the decision was taken, and now they have to turn up at 6pm Wednesday to complete their fixtures even though they felt the pitch was playable on Sunday.
  The MHL is now officially a two-horse race as Terengganu Hockey Team, on 21 points, are the only team which is capable of giving four-time consecutive double champions Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) a fight for the League title whenn they clash on Friday.
  THT will get a chance to lift their first title if they win, while for KLHC, it would be just another trophy in their cabinet.
  RESULT: Tenaga Nasional 0 UniKL 2.

           STANDINGS

              P W D L  F     A  Pts

KLHC          8 8 0 0  29    8  24
TERENGGANU    8 7 0 1  37    15 21
TENAGA        8 3 0 5  13    17  9
SAPURA        8 1 3 4  15    24  6
UNIKL         8 1 2 5  9     25  5
MAYBANK       8 0 3 5  13    27  3

THT V KLHC to decide League title

KUALA Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) and Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) kept their date for a Nov 28 showdown when they won their respective Malaysia Hockey League Premier Division matches yesterday.
  KLHC beat Sapura 2-1 while THT slammed Maybank 6-1 yesterday. Both the teams meet in Kuala Terengganu next Friday, and the stakes are high.
  If KLHC beat THT, they will claim their ninth League title, but if THT win, they have a chance to claim their first title.
  Yesterday, Faizal Saari scored a hat-trick in the third, sixth and eight minutes, while the other THT goals were scored by Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin (ninth), Seo Jong Ho (28th) and Kang Moon Kweon (41st).
  The Maybank consolation was scored by Haseem Khan in the second minute.
  "We have done our part by winning big against Maybank and now we are ready to give our best against KLHC on Nov 28 to try and win our first league title. All our players are free from injury and suspension, and I expect a cracker next Friday to decide who lifts the League title," said THT coach Sarjit Singh.
  KLHC had beaten THT 2-1 in Round One, and that was the only blemish in the Terengganu side after eight matches.
  As for KLHC, Razie Rahim scored in the 18th minute to give them the lead while the other goal was scored by Harrison Page (36th). The Sapura goal was scored by Izwan Firdaus in the 48th minute.
  RESULTS: Terengganu HT 6 Maybank 1; KLHC 2 Sapura 1; Tenaga Nasional v UniKL (match abandoned, to be played Wednesday 6pm).

           STANDINGS

                               
          P W D L F A Pts

KLHC                  8 8 0 0  29    8  24
TERENGGANU 8 7 0 1  37    15 21
TENAGA            7 3 0 4  13    15  9
SAPURA            8 1 3 4  15    24  6
MAYBANK       8 0 3 5  13    27  3
UNIKL               7 0 2 5  7     25  2

Gobinathan to coach Bangladesh in WL

KUALA Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) and Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) are on a collision course to claim the Malaysia Hockey League Premier Division title.
  That is, provided both the teams win today. KLHC will meet Sapura, while THT play Maybank in a crucial Round Two match and if both the front-runners play to form-book, they will meet on Nov 28 to decide the League title.
  Double champions KLHC had beaten Sapura 4-0 while THT beat Maybank 4-3 in Round One.
  "Although we struggled to beat Maybank in Round One, much has changed since then as now my Korean imports are much more comfortable with the local players and I expect another three points before the crucial match against KLHC next weekend," said THT coach Sarjit Singh.
  KLHC are also leading on goals as they have 20, while THT 17. But that does not matter to coach K. Dharmaraj.
  "In the end, I believe the goals will not count as we are going for wins in every match and after this weekend, we will travel to Terengganu to play second placed THT.
  "So far, THT have shown great improvement in their match, but so have we," said Dharmaraj.
  Meanwhile, former Malaysian assistant coach K. Gobinathan will be the chief coach for Bangladesh in the World League Round Two in Singapore on Jan 17-25.
  This is a first for a Malaysian coach: "I was approached and agreed to coach Bangladesh for two months for the World League. This will be a good opportunity for me to further my coaching career," said Gobinathan who has assisted K. Dharmaraj in many tournaments.
  Malaysia are the top seeds in the World League Round Two and must finish top-three to play in the Semi-finals and have a shot at playing in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
  The other teams who will be in Singapore are Japan, Poland, Singapore, Oman
and Ukraine. One more team will be the winners of the last Round One tournament which will be played in Suva, Fiji on Dec 6-13. The teams involved are Fiji, Samoa, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu.
  TODAY: Terengganu HT v Maybank (Kuala Terengganu, 5pm); KLHC v Sapura (National Stadium 6pm, Pitch II); Tenaga Nasional v UniKL (National Stadium 8pm, Pitch II).

           STANDINGS

                                 
          P W D L F A Pts

KLHC       7 7 0 0  27    7  21
TERENGGANU 7 6 0 1  31    14 18
TENAGA     7 3 0 4  13    15  9
SAPURA     7 1 3 3  14    22  6
MAYBAN     7 0 3 4  12    21  3
UNIKL      7 0 2 5  7     25  2

KLHC and THT on course..

DOUBLE champions Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) demolished Maybank 5-1 to tighten their grip on the Malaysia Hockey League Premier Division League title.
  And if KLHC beat Sapura and Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) beat Maybank tomorrow, then, the League title will be decided in Kuala Terengganu on N0v 28 when THT host KLHC.
   The KLHC goals were scored by Harvinder Singh (ninth), Muhamamd Imran (11th), Razie Rahim (22nd), 
Rashid Baharom  (34th) and Syamim Yusof (5oth) . Shakeel Abbasi (35th) scored for Maybank.
    In another match, Sapura and UniKL played to a 3-3 draw: "We lost 3-2 to Sapura in Round One, and now held them to a draw and I see some improvement in the team. Right now, we are focussed to the 11th game, which is the knock-out, where we hope to spring a surprise," said UniKL coach Arul Selvaraj.
    Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) kept pace with the leaders when they beat Tenaga Nasional 4-2 in Kuala Terengganu.
  The THT goals were scored by Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin (sixth, 55th), Fitri Saari (22nd) and Firhan Ashaari (39th). Azammi Adabi (10th) and Shahril Saabah (59th) scored for Tenaga.
   "This is a crucial win as we need to keep pace with the leaders (KLHC) to have a shot at the League title. However, Firhan (Ashaari) picked up a yellow card and with his demerit points reaching 10, he will be suspended for the Sunday match against Maybank.
  "Even though we will lose a goal-getter, the five Korean imports have started to gel with the local players, and I expect them to deliver another three points against the Tigers," said THT coach Sarjit Singh.
   The MHL League title is expected to be decided on Nov 28, when THT host KLHC in Kuala Terengganu.
   RESULTS: Terengganu HT 4 Tenaga Nasional 2; UniKl 3 Sapura 3; Maybank 1 KLHC 5.
 SUNDAY: Terengganu HT v Maybank (Kuala Terengganu, 5pm); KLHC v Sapura (National Stadium 6pm, Pitch II); Tenaga Nasional v UniKL (National Stadium 8pm, Pitch II).

MHL STANDINGS

                                   
                                     P W D L F A Pts

KLHC                        7 7 0 0  27    7  21
TERENGGANU    7 6 0 1  31    14 18
TENAGA               7 3 0 4  13    15  9
SAPURA              7 1 3 3  14    22  6
MAYBAN            7 0 3 4  12    21  3
UNIKL                7 0 2 5  7     25  2

THT's Faizal Saari suspended against Maybank..

NATIONAL player Faizal Saari was yesterday suspended for another Malaysia Hockey League match after the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) competitions committee met yesterday.
  Terengganu Hockey Team's (THT) Faizal had shown the middle finger to umpire P. Elangovan during theirPremier Division  match against Sapura, and he was suspended for one match against UniKL.
  "However, the competitions committee felt that since he is a national player, Faizal should lead by example and that's why we have slapped him a two-match suspension and he will not play against Tenaga Nasional (today)," said competitions committee deputy president S. Satish Kumar.
  This is not the first time the 23-year-old has been in troble, as he was red carded in the Razak Cup, and also dropped from the Asian Games line-up after getting into plenty of controversies before and after the World Cup.
  However, he has proven himself as a striker in international tournaments and should he change his attitude on the pitch, he could prove to be an asset to Malaysia in the near future.
  Nabil Fiqri, of Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC), also received a one-match suspension after he was red-carded when playing against Tenaga Nasional. He will miss the Maybank match today.
  However, Nabil's folly is not expected to dent Double champions KLHC's winning streak.
  "Instead of searching for goals and placing un-necessary pressure on the players, after six wins, I am more interested in the points right now. We need to keep the winning momentum against Maybank and then Sapura before the cruncher against Terengganu," said Dharmaraj.
  TODAY: Terengganu HT v Tenaga Nasional (Kuala Terengganu, 5pm); UniKl v Sapura (National Stadium 6pm, Pitch II); Maybank v KLHC (National Stadium 8pm, Pitch II).
 SUNDAY: Terengganu HT v Maybank (Kuala Terengganu, 5pm); KLHC v Sapura (National Stadium 6pm, Pitch II); Tenaga Nasional v UniKL (National Stadium 8pm, Pitch II).

MHL STANDINGS

                                  
              P W D L F A Pts

KLHC          6 6 0 0  22    6  18
TERENGGANU    6 5 0 1  27    12 15
TENAGA        6 3 0 3  11    11  9
SAPURA        6 1 2 3  11    19  5
MAYBAN        6 0 3 3  11    16  3
UNIKL         6 0 1 5  4     22  1

MHL: Local players carry the load at mid-way

FIVE teams in the Premier Division of the Malaysia Hockey League have invested heavily on foreign imports, but local players are the ones who have carried the load for the front-runners.
  For starters, double champions Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) are unbeaten after six matches as penalty corner flicker Razie Rahim nailed eight goals and is now the current joint-top scorer.
  Faizal Saari of Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) is chasing Razie, also on eight goals, even though he played one match less after being red carded for verbally abusing and showing the middle finger to umpire P. Elangovan when playing against Sapura.
  The two locals are top-scorers in a league which has 22 foreign players.
  And in Faizal's absence against UniKL on Sunday, THT found a new local hero to keep them afloat in chasing their first League title.
  Syamiru Aiman, who will turn 21 on Dec 27, scored four goals against UniKL to give his side a 5-2 win. His sizzling form on a heavy pitch, saved the blushes for THT who have invested in five South Koreans as well as some of the best local talent in MHL.
  "Syamiru played for Terengganu in the recent Malaysia Games (scored two goals in bronze playoff to help beat Penang 4-2) and was a regular in the first two games until my five Korean imports arrived.
  "Against UniKL, since I did not have the services of suspended strikers Faizal and Firhan (Ashaari) Syamiru was given more time and he delivered the crucial three points for us," said THT coach Sarjit Singh.
  Syamiru's four field goals were scored in the eighth, 16th, 31st and 34th minutes while the fifth was delivered by seasoned international Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin.
  "The pitch (in Kuala Terenggau) was heavy after a torrential downpour, and our penalty corners could not be executed as the push-out was slow to reach our Korean flickers, but Syamiru delivered for us with four field goals," said Sarjit.
  As for Maybank, they benched their German import goalkeeper Moritz Knobloch against Sapura, and local boy Shahrul Azaddin played a good game to help the Tigers steal one point in a 3-3 draw.
  A former coach, who declined to be named as there is a gag order from Malaysian Hockey Confederation president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, said teams are wasting their time and money on foreign imports.
  "It looks good for the MHL to have foreign players, but in the long run, when the money dries up, teams which are developing local youth will be the survivers.
  "There is a precedent, as Yayasan Negri Sembilan were the best with their imports, but when the money dried up, the team also died while teams like Tenaga Nasional are still active in the MHL," said the coach.
  Tenaga are the only all-local outfit in the MHL, and they have give the rest a tough fight and are standing proud with three wins and three defeats at No 3 on the standings.
  On another matter, Tengku Abdullah said that the draft of the new MHC constitution has been sent to the Sports Commissioner's office for endorsement.
  "While I'm not sure if the minutes of the EOGM has been sent to the Sports Commissioner, the draft of the amended constitution has been submitted," said Tengku Abdullah at a football function in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
  The Sports Commissioner has said that the date for the MHC elections could not be set as he is still awaiting for the minutes of the month-old EOGM from the MHC.


MHL STANDINGS

                                   
              P W D L F A Pts

KLHC          6 6 0 0  22    6  18
TERENGGANU    6 5 0 1  27    12 15
TENAGA        6 3 0 3  11    11  9
SAPURA        6 1 2 3  11    19  5
MAYBAN        6 0 3 3  11    16  3
UNIKL         6 0 1 5  4     22  1

KLHC edge closer to League title..

KUALA Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) slammed  Tenaga Nasional 3-1 to start their Malaysia Hockey League Round Two with a bang at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.
  The unbeaten four-time consecutive double champions, who had beaten Tenaga 5-3 in the Charity Shield, were in a mean mood as they went out searching for their ninth League title.
  However, KLHH's clean run was marred when Nabil Fiqri was red carded in the 49th minute.
  KLHC got their goals off Fareed Ahmad from Pakistan (12th), Nabil Fiqri (13th) and Harrison Page (25th), while Amin Rahim scored for Tenaga in the 39th minute. 
  "Nabil claims he was hit first by Tenaga player (Azammi Adabi) and he retaliated and was flashed the red card. But being an experienced (national player) he should have checked his temper. He will surely miss the next match (against Maybank) but we have the strength on the bench to replace him," said KLHC coach K. Dharmaraj.
   Dharmaraj believes his charges do not need to place the pressure on themselves by playing for high scores, as three points would do.
  "We need to keep the winning momentum, and the margin is not important to me, as we play to keep the League title," said Dharmaraj.
  Interestingly, both the red cards in the MHL has been flashed to national players, as the first was to sidelined Faizal Saari from Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) last week.   
  In another Premier Division match, Sapura started on a low note but went on to hold Maybank to a 3-3 draw.  Maybank's goals were scored by Jiwa Mohan (10th, 42nd) and Haseem Khan (46th), while the Sapura goals came off Pakistan import Khasif Ali (21st, 23rd) and Muhammad Zubair (55th).
  THT  were lucky to win 4-2 against UniKL in Kuala Terengganu yesterday, as the University side scored first and were at 2-2 at one stage. The star-studded THT were rescued by a low-key player Syamiru Aiman who scored  four goals (eigtht, 16th, 31st and 35th) and Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin (55th). The UniKL goals were scored Nor Aqmal (second) and Phillipp Stahr (26th). 
   RESULTS: Tenaga 1 KLHC 3; Maybank 3 Sapura 3; THT 5 UniKL 2.

STANDINGS

                                    P W D L F A Pts

KLHC                        6 6 0 0  22    6      18
TERENGGANU    6 5 0 1  27    12     15
TENAGA                6 3 0 3  11    11       9
SAPURA                6 1 2 3  11     19     5 
MAYBANK           6 0 3 3  11    16      3
UNIKL                   6 0 1 5  4    22      1

Faizal Saari in trouble again..

THE Malaysian version of Mario Balotelli got into trouble again when he showed the middle finger to umpire P. Elangovan, and will now be suspended when Terengganu Hockey team host UniKL today in the Premier Division of the Malaysia Hockey League.
  Terengganu HT's Faizal Saari, considered a wizard by some, and a trouble-maker by others, was red carded when he knocked into a Sapura player on Friday, and felt that the umpire was not being fair, and flashed the middle finger to Elangovan and uttered foul language.
  This is not the first time the 23-year-old has been in troble, as he was red carded in the Razak Cup, and also dropped from the Asian Games line-up after getting into plenty of controversies before and after the World Cup.
  "Faizal will receive an automatic one-match suspension and will not play against UniKL on Sunday (today). We will also refer his case to the management committee on Thursday where he might face further action, or will be let off with a one-match ban," said Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) Competition Committee secretary Hashim Yusoff.
  THT, second on the standings, will play university team UniKL, in Terengganu today.
  Meanwhile national coach Tai Beng Hai, who is also Sapura coach, said he will select a training squad for the World League Round Two, in Singapore on Jan 17-25, in a week's time.
  "The MHL ends on Dec 14, so I do not have much time for the World League. I will select a training squad, with the core coming from those who played in the World Cup and Commonwealth Games.
  "And if I spot any talent in the MHL, he will also receive a call-up," said Beng Hai.
  On the influx of foreign players, some of whom are well below par compared to youth who have been left out of the MHL, Beng Hai said: "It was a domino effect, as after one team bought foreign players in place of fielding local youth, the others had to follow to keep pace."
   Sapura with five foreign palayers, have only one win and one draw to show after playing five matches in Round One.
  From the six teams in the Premier Division, only Tenaga have opted out of relaying on foreign players: "We were asked by the management to source for foreign players this season, but we chose to develop our youth from feeder school SSTMI (Sekplah Sukan Tunku Mahkota Ismail) as we believe that is the best formula to help the club as well as the country in the long run," said Tenaga Nasional skipper Madzli Ikmar.
   And Tenaga's all-local cast are thirs on the standings with three wins.
   SUNDAY: Tenaga v KLHC (6pm, Pitch I); Maybank v Sapura (6pm, Pitch II); THT v UniKL (5pm, Terengganu).

STANDINGS

              P W D L F A Pts

KLHC          5 5 0 0  19    5      15
TERENGGANU    5 4 0 1  22    10     12
TENAGA        5 3 0 2  10    8       9
SAPURA        5 1 1 3  8     16     4
MAYBANK       5 0 2 3  8    13      2
UNIKL         5 0 1 4  2    17      1

KLHC keep clean record

KUALA Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) kept a clean record entering into the Second Round when they beat UniKL 4-0 in the Premier Division of the Malaysia Hockey League yesterday.
   KLHC, with maximum 15 points, got their goals off Syamim Yusof (seventh), Razie Rahim (ninth, 50th) and Akhtar Ali (31st).
  In another match, all-local outfit Tenaga Nasional beat Maybank 2-1, even though the Tigers had five foreign imorts in their ranks.
   Maybank took the lead off Hafifi Hafiz in the 43rd minute, but Tenaga replied two minutes later off Azammi Adabi and the winner was provided by veteran MHL player Amin Rahim with a powerful penalty corner drive in the 47th minute.
   Tenaga skipper Madzli Ikmar said their main problem is with converting chances into goals, as their attack-force is a young brigade.
   "We have Shahril (Saabah) upfront and he does most of the damage, but when he is rested, the young forwardline is still not ready to make sure when presented with a chance.
   "Overall, I believe the team has done well (with three wins) and we are looking forward to a better performance in the Second Round starting Sunday (today)," said Madzli.
   RESULTS: UniKL 0 KLHC 4; Tenaga 2 Maybank 1; Sapura 4 Terengganu HT 8.
  SUNDAY: Tenaga v KLHC (6pm, Pitch I); Maybank v Sapura (6pm, Pitch II); THT v UniKL (5pm, 
Terengganu).

STANDINGS

                                      P W D L F A Pts

KLHC                          5 5 0 0  19    5      15
TERENGGANU       5 4 0 1  22    10     12
TENAGA                  5 3 0 2     10    8    9
SAPURA                  4 1 1 3     8     16     4 
MAYBANK             5 0 2 3      8    13   2
UNIKL                     5 0 1 4       2    17   1

Hawgood for senior team?

THE Malaysian hockey team are set to receive an Australian coach, as soon as Neil Hawgood gets a release 

from the Indian HA.

Hawgood, 52, is a former Australian player who played in the 1988 Olympics. He played seven matches, 

scoring five goals, as the Australian team finished fourth.

Hawgood is currently coaching the Indian women’s team but he is expected to sort out his contract and be 

in Malaysia before the World League Round Two in Singapore on Jan 17-25. The Australian’s contract is till 

2016.

In the World League Round Two, top seeds Malaysia will play Bangladesh, Japan, Poland, Singapore, Oman 

and Ukraine. One more team will be the winners of the last Round One tournament which will be played in 

Suva, Fiji on Dec 6-13. The teams involved are Fiji, Samoa, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu.

After Hawgood retired as a player, he had coaching stints in London, Scotland, Queensland, Western 

Australia and now India.

The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) has been on the hunt for a foreign coach since South African 

Paul Revington left early in the year, and has been playing musical chairs with K. Dharmaraj, Arul Selvaraj 

and now Tai Beng Hai to lead the Singapore charge.

If Malaysia finish in the top three in Singapore, they will play in the semi-finals of the World League, either 

in Argentina or Belgium, for a shot at the 2016 Olympics.

MHC officials declined to comment on the latest development, as president Tengku Abdullah Sultan 

Ahmad Shah has imposed a gag order. 

Dharmaraj: Pressure on the chasing pack..

DEFENDING champions Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) are comfortable being the hare in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) Premier Division as the First Round Comes to an end Friday.
  Leading by one match over early favourites Terengganu Hockey Team, KLHC coach K. Dharmaraj aims to run down his opposition by keeping a clean slate.
  KLHC play bottom-placed UniKL today, where three points are almost assured.
  "Frankly speaking, we were lucky to beat THT (2-1), and top the charts entering into the second round. Now, all my players need to do is keep winning and place the pressure on the chasing team(s).
  "We need to keep the lead until we meet THT again in Round Two at their own back-yard," said Dharmaraj.
  After UniKL, KLHC meet Tenaga again in Round Two on Sunday and for the record, the four-time consecutive double champions beat Tenaga 5-3 in Round One.
  THT started promisingly with three wins, where their star was Faizal Saari, but after the five Koreans joined them, they lost some steam.
  "We will be playing at home (Terengganu) after this and I believe we will not drop any more points and out match against KLHC in Round Two will decide the League champions. So, nothing is lost yet, and there is plenty to look forward to," said THT coach Sarjit Singh.
  FRIDAY: UniKL v KLHC (6pm, Pitch I); Tenaga v Maybank (6pm, Pitch II); Sapura v Terengganu HT (8pm, Pitch II).
  SUNDAY: Tenaga v KLHC (6pm, Pitch I); Maybank v Sapura (6pm, Pitch II); THT v UniKL (5pm, Terengganu).

STANDINGS

                 P W D L F A Pts

KLHC             4 4 0 0 15 5  12
TERENGGANU       4 3 0 1 14 6  9
TENAGA           4 2 0 2 8  7  6
SAPURA           4 1 1 2 4  8  4
MAYBANK          4 0 2 2 7  11 2
UNIKL            4 0 1 3 2  13 1

KLHC on a roll...

DEFENDING champions Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) turned on the power in the third quarter to beat Sapura 4-0 and register their fourth consecutive win in the Premier Division of the Malaysia Hockey League Wednesday.
  KLHC have maximum points from four matches and they are three points ahead of second placed Terengganu Hockey Team.
  Defender Razie Rahim was on the roll as he gave KLHC the lead off their third penalty corner in the 34^th minute. It was his fifth goal in four matches.
  Rashid Baharom (35th), Akhtar Ali (39^th) and Ahmad Kazamirul Nasruddin (41^st) scored the other goals for KLHC.
   FRIDAY: UniKL v KLHC (6pm, Pitch I); Tenaga v Maybank (6pm, Pitch II); Sapura v Terengganu HT (8pm, Pitch II).
  SUNDAY: Tenaga v KLHC (6pm, Pitch I); Maybank v Sapura (6pm, Pitch II); THT v UniKL (5pm, Terengganu).

STANDINGS

                 P W D L F A Pts

KLHC             4 4 0 0 15 5  12
TERENGGANU       4 3 0 1 14 6  9
TENAGA           4 2 0 2 8  7  6
SAPURA           4 1 1 2 4  8  4
MAYBANK          4 0 2 2 7  11 2
UNIKL            4 0 1 3 2  13 1 

Sarjit: We'll be back..

PIC: SARJIT SINGH

KUALA Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) kept their bragging rights intact, while Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) are silently plotting for a Round Two comeback in the Premier Division of the Malaysia Hockey League.
  The star-studded THT, with five Koreans on their side and a host of national players, went down 1-2 to four-time consecutive double champions KLHC, but have not given up hope of winning their first League title.
  "Plenty of mistakes, and bungling a handful of sitters cost us the game, but the tournament still has six more matches to go, and we aim to keep a clean slate until we meet KLHC again in Round Two.
  "The initial goal of winning our first League title is still in sight," said THT coach Sarjit Singh.
  Terenggnau has pumped millions into the team, and Menteri Besar datuk Ahmad Razif was present to watch Sarjit and his men at the national stadium on Sunday.
  After three convincing wins, THT were supposed to stream-roll KLHC, but their penalty corner battery was stopped by good runs.
  "Congratulations to KLHC as they were the better team, but we aim to be the best at the end of the day," said Sarjit.
  KLHC captain Razie Rahim, who nailed thw winner, lauded his teammates for playing their hearts out for the victory.
  “It is an important victory for us because we were able to prove that we can still compete with THT despite them spending a huge sum of money on new players. For us, it was a team effort which made the difference."
  KLHC and THT are tied on nine points, but the champions have one match in hand and will play Sapura tomorrow as their weekend match was washed away by rain.
  "I have many things on my mind right now regarding the THT match, but i will keep it to myself and let my players do the talking on the pitch. Yes, we have a crucial week with three matches lined up, but that's the kind of challenge we thrive upon," said KLHC coach K. Dharmaraj.
  WEDNESDAY: KLHC v Sapura (6pm, Pitch II).

STANDINGS

               P W D L F A Pts

TERENGGANU     4 3 0 1 14   6    9
KLHC           3 3 0 0 11   5    9
TENAGA         4 2 0 2 8    7    6
SAPURA         3 1 1 1 4    4    4
MAYBANK        4 0 2 2 7    11   2
UNIKL          4 0 1 3 2    13   1

Malaysian Open: Danny Chia leads local cast..

DANNY Chia, Nicholas Fung and Shaaban Hussin are among the twelve local players who have qualified to play at the Maybank Malaysian Open on Feb 5th-8th at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club (KLGCC).
  The tournament will also see a increase of prize money from US$2.75 million to US$3 million.
 The top Malaysian players on the Asian Tour as well as the Professional Golf of Malaysia Order of Merit and members of the Professional Golf Association of Malaysia, will join a field of 156 players consisting of the world’s leading golfers next year.
  The 12 ranked Malaysian are not required to compete at the National Qualifiers on the Nov 18th19th at KLGCC.
  The two-day National Qualifiers will see 100 golfers competing for four more slots.
  The Maybank Malaysian Open offers the highest number of spots for Malaysian golfers in a co-sanctioned international golfing event in the country. As a joint initiative by the Malaysian Golf Association (MGA), Maybank and GlobalOne to provide Malaysian sportsmen the opportunity to compete in world class events.
  Twenty-two spots up for grabs and these are divided among the ten players from the Asian Tour and PGM Tour; four winners from the National Qualifiers; three sponsors invite, one of which is the winner from the Maybank Tour Championship and the participation of four amateurs who are selected by MGA through their own merit.
   Gavin Kyle Green has already secured his spot among the four amateurs. The final two invitational spots with the remaining three amateur spots are expected to be announced by mid January.
 QUALIFIED Malaysians: Nicholas Fung, Danny Chia, Iain Steel, Shaaban Hussin and Ben Leong (from the Asian Tour); R. Nachimuthu, Airil Rizman Zahari, Sukree Othman, Khor Kheng Hwai, Kemarol Baharin (from the PGM Tour) and Arie Fauzi (Maybank invitee).

KLHC beat THT,,

MALAYSIA Hockey League Premier Division champions Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) beat star-studded Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) 2-1 to keep a tight grip on the League title at the national stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.
   THT were supposed to pose a threat to double champions KLHC, but their First Round effort fizzled out and at the stands of the second pitch was the Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Razif, who unfortunately came when his team played lousy hockey after three consecutive wins.
  "Im happy my players claimed the First Round victory over THT, but we will be playing three matches next week (including the midweek Sapura match) and we need to win all by keeping our feet on the ground. Also, we will be playing THT in Terengganu in the Second Round, and so, to celebrate early would be foolish," said KLHC coach K. Dharmaraj.
  KLHC were caught napping in the 26th minute when Kang Moon Kweon slotted in the lead for THT, after which, the fans only cheered for missed sitters as the two early favourites were blunt in the semicircle.
   And KLHC were lucky when a comical situation, where the entire THT defense stood rooted for 10 seconds, saw Syamim Yusuf slot in the equaliser with a slow-motion attempt.
    National player Razie Rahim, the best penalty corner flicker in the country, then gave KLHC the lead when he perfected a drive in the 40th minute.
   THT won 5 penalty coners after that, but were unable to crack former national skipper Roslan Jamaluddin and the defending champions walked away with three crucial points.
   In another match, UniKL won their first point of the league when they held Maybank to a 1-1 draw. UniKL took the lead off Phillipp Stahr (39th) while Jiwa Mohan saved Maybank with a 45th minute effort.
RESULTS: Maybank 1 UniKL 1, KLHC 2 Terengganu HT 1, Tenaga 1 Sapura 0.

STANDINGS

           P W D L F A Pts

TERENGGANU    4 3 0 1 14   6    9
KLHC                       3 3 0 0 11  5  9
TENAGA                4 2 0 2 8    7    6
SAPURA                 3 1 1 1 4    4    4

MAYBANK            4 0 2 2 7    11   2
UNIKL                     4 0 1 3 2  13 1