Thunderbolts whitewash Pahang 8-0

DIVISION One champions SSTMI Thunderbolts whitewashed MSP Pahang 8-0 in the first leg Milo Cup quarter-finals to virtually book their spot in the semi-finals.
    And Old La Sallians Association of Klang (Olak-PKT) also opened the door to their semi-finals dream when they beat Malacca High School 4-1.
   Petaling Jaya Municipal  Council also had an easy outing as they beat Bukit Jalil Sports School 4-1, however,  UniKL Young Guns faced a torrid time before edging Politeknik-KPM 3-2.
   The UniKL-Politeknik second leg is the only one which will go to the wire, while the other three teams have virtually assured their semis spot, with their Sunday return legs being purely academic.
    It was an outstanding performance from Olak-PKT as they ran rings round the static MHS defense, and they thoroughly deserve the big-margin victory.
   “It is a healthy first leg lead but we cannot take things for granted. I am happy that the players lifted their game and played as they did,” said Olak-PKT manager Joseph de Silva.
    “We have to play intelligently in the return leg as a quick goal by MHS will change the entire equation of the match. Thus we need to plan things carefully.”
     MHS that took the lead in the 20th minute through Faid Farhadh Shah but Olak were back on level terms two minutes later when Mawardi Hamirin got his shot right.
    Olak then took the lead in the 28th minute as Najmi Ghazali scored off a goalmouth melee, and added another two goals through Mawardi (43rd) and Asyaraf Adha (54th) for a healthy 4-1 aggregate lead.
     Thunderbolts got the big win they were looking for through the efforts of Aminuddin Zain (7th, 39th and 42nd), Amirol Aideed  (50th, 67th and 70th), Najmi Farizal Jazlan (35th) and Firdaus Omar (48th).
   “The mission we set out to achieve is completed and I will rest some players for the second leg as next week we have to play three matches in five days,” said Thunderbolts coach Wan Roslan Wan Rahman.
    RESULTS -- MILO Cup Quarter-finals first leg: SSTMI  Thunderbolts 8 MSP Pahang 0; Malacca High  School 1 Olak-PKT 4; Petaling Jaya Municipal  Council 4 Bukit Jalil Sports School 1; UniKL Young Guns 3 Politeknik-KPM 2.
   SUNDAY: Quarter-finals return leg: Bukit Jalil Sports School  v Petaling Jaya Municipal Council (4pm, Pitch II); Politeknik- KPM v UniKL Young Guns (4pm, Pitch I); MSP Pahang v SSTMI  Thunderbolts (6pm, Pitch II); Olak-PKT v Malacca High  School (6pm, Pitch I).
   (Note: All matches at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit  Jalil).