PERAK edged Kuala Lumpur 3-2 in the Division One Semi-finals of the 53rd Razak Cup for a shot at their third consecutive title.
Back-to-back winners in 2013 and 2014, Perak will meet Malacca in the final at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil today.
Malacca beat Johor 4-3 in the other semi-finals with goals from Amirullah Zainol (24th, 38th), Hafoz Selema (32nd), Firdaus Omar (39th). The Johor goals were scored by Zulhamizan Awang in the third minute, Nor Aqmal Gaffar in the 55th and Azammi Adabi (57th).
Perak took a 3-0 lead off Haziq Samsul (third), Hafifi Hafiz (19th) and Azlan Misron (26th) before Kuala Lumpur woke up from their slumber.
Syamim Yusof (29th) and Ramadhan Rosli (54th) tried to claw back for KL, but the clock ran out on them.
Perak coach K.Yogeswaran is now looking forward to clinching their hat-trick of titles.
"It could have been an easier game for us after taking a 3-0 lead but we lost our grip in the fourth quarter and made it difficult.
"Now that we have a chance to win our third consecutive title, I believe my players would not want to throw away this golden opportunity," said Yogeswaran.
Yogeswaran said his only concern is his charges end game.
"We can't afford to play like we did in the fourth quarter today (yesterday) and that's the department I will tighten up before we enter the pitch for our final game."
In Division Two, Police will meet Selangor in the final today and it is expected to go to the wire. Yesterday, Police hammered Sarawak 8-2 to end their campaign on 16 points after five wins and a draw.
Selangor hammered Perlis 6-1 and finished second in the pool with 15 points from five wins and one defeat.
Head-to-head in the pool, Police beat Selangor 3-2. The only blemish on the Police record was a 2-2 draw against Armed Forces.
Policeman Baljit Singh Sarjab, a former national player, top-scored in Division Two with 14 goals to date and will be the man to watch in the finals.
RESULTS: Division One Semi-finals: Perak 3 Kuala Lumpur 2, Johor 3 Malacca 4.
Fifth-Sixth: Negri Sembilan 3 Pahang 7; Seventh-Eighth: Terengganu 7 Penang 3.
Division Two: Kedah 2 Kelantan 5, Perlis 1 Selangor 6, Police 8 Sarawak 2.
TODAY: Division One: Final -- Perak v Malacca (Pitch II, 8.30pm); Third-Fourth: Kuala Lumpur v Johor (Pitch II, 5.45pm).
Division Two: Final: Police v Selangor (Pitch I, 5pm).
Note: All matches at the National Hockey
