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 ) .