Razak Cup: Malacca the new champions

MALACCA dethroned Perak 1-0 to become the new Razak Cup Division One champions with a single strike from Dedy Ariyadi at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.
  It was only Malacca's third Razak Cup title in 53 Editions, as they last won in 2005 and then 2009. Perak were back-to-back champions in 2013 and 2014.
  "It was a super effort from my players and credit is due to the entire team for playing with sheer determination and grit. This is a historic moment as the Razak Cup has always eluded our grips," said Malacca coach S. Velappan.
  Perak were all over Malacca in the first two quarters but national juniors goalkeeper Ridzwan Azmi kept them in the game with some super saves.
  And on the other half, goalkeeper Roslan Jamaluddin was hardly tested, but a 30th minute deflection from Dedy Ariyadi gave Malacca the much needed lead.
  It was Malacca's first shot at goal in 30 minutes of play.  
  Perak never gave up and kept attacking, and in the 39th minute goalkeeper Ridzwan was yellow carded for a bad tackle and replaced with second goalkeeper Hanafi Hassan.
  Malacca then held onto the one-goal lead with sheer grit, and and walked away as the new champions.
  The Division One bronze medal match went to shoot-out, after Johor and Kuala Lumpur ended 2-2 at regulation time.
   Syamim Yusof (3rd) and Harvinder Singh (58th) scored for KL, while Syafiq Zain (28th) and Faiz Helmi Jali (56th) scored for Johor.
  In the shoot-out KL won 3-2 and pocketed RM7,000 while Johor received RM5,000.
  In Division Two, Police lifted the title when they beat Selangor 6-2. The win came with RM5,000 as well as a first time promotion to Division one next year. From Division One, eighth placed team Penang will be relegated to Division Two.
  Baljit Singh Sarjab almost single handedley won the title for Police as he scored three goals yesterday to being his overall total to 17 goals.
  RESULTS: Division One: Final -- Perak 0 Malacca 1; Third-Fourth: Kuala Lumpur 2 Johor 2 (KL win shoot-out 3-2).
  Division Two: Final: Police 6 Selangor 2.
  ROLL of HONOUR: Division One: Man-of-the-match: B. Namasivayam (Malacca); Best Goalkeeper: Hairi Abdul Rahman (Johor); Best Player: Dedy Ariyadi (Malacca); Top Scorer: Faizal Shaari (Terengganu, 15 goals).
  Division Two: Man-of-the-match: Azreen Rizal (Police); Best Goalkeeper: Zaid Ibrahim (Police); Best Player: Nabil Fitri (Police); Top Scorer: Baljit Singh Sarjab (Police, 17 goals).
  Final placing: Division One: 1 Malacca (RM10,000), 2 Perak (RM7,000), 3 Kuala Lumpur (RM5,000), 4 Johor, 5 Pahang, 6 Negri Sembilan, 7 Terengganu, 8 Penang.
  Division Two: 1 Police (RM5,000), 2 Selangor (RM3,000), 3 Kelantan (RM2,000).

Razak Cup: Perak v Malacca final

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