Faizal's Shaari's moment ....

FAIZAL Shaari's brace handed Terengganu their second Division One Razak Cup title last night, as Police went down 3-0 at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil Sunday.
  National player Faizal also won the top-scorers award with seven goals, and the man-of-the final award.
 He was benched for indiscipline from playing international matches for six months by the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC), and his ban will be ending soon.
  There was an electric atmosphere at the stadium, as Police brought in five bus-loads of recruits, while fans in four buses travelled from Terengganu to support their team.
 A band, by police, kept made it into a carnival final, which was also witnessed by the former Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) deputy president Tan Sri P. Alagandra.
 Terengganu menteri besar Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman, and Police Director of Management datuk Sri Zulkafli Abdullah were also on the stands.
 Police played a tactical two quarters by slowing down the game and only moving up in counter attacks, while Terengganu's young players were made to run circles.
  There was not a single penalty corner awarded to both the teams in two quarters, as the defenders played very clean hockey.
  However, Police opened up the match right after the third quarter started, with overhead passes thrown by Razie Rahim. They won the first penalty corner in the 35th minute, but poor trapping saw the score remain 0-0.
 The match opened up after that, and Terengganu won their first penalty corner in the 41st minute, and Faizal made it count with a top-of-the-net drag flick.
  Faizal was the toast of Terengganu, as in the 52nd minute, his reverse stick shot made it 2-0 and handed his state only the second Division One title. The first was won in 2012. The third goal was scored by Akhimullah Anuar, 16, in the 57th minute.
  "I am very proud of my players discipline, as they did not let the big match atmosphere rattle them. Thirteen of them are eligible to play in the Malaysia Games in Kuching, and this augurs well for the developmen of youth in the state," said Terengganu coach Sarjit Singh.
 As for Police coach Gurmit Singh: "I am very proud of my players who rose from Division Two last season to become Division One silver medallists tonight.
 "Even though it would have been nice to lift the title, but still, a silver is a very good reward for my players determination in this tournament."
 In the men's Division Two final, Penang and Perlis played to a 4-4 draw, but Penang gained promotion by winning the shoot-out 3-2.
 And Pahang, last in Division One, will play in the lower division next year.
  For Penang, Jiwa Mohan (30th), Izwan Firdaus (42nd, 58th) and Hafizhuddin Zaidi (47th) delivered. The Perlis scorers were Najmi Farizal (35th, 49th), Azhad Akmal (36th) and Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin (39th).
 Meanwhile, in the women's final, Pahang won the inaugural title when they hammered Armed Forces 4-0. The Pahang scorers were Nuraini Abdul Rashid (22nd, 47th), Noorain Arshad (23rd) and Wan Nor Faiezah (40th).
  RESULTS: Division One: Division One Final: Terengganu 3 Police 0.
  Division Two Final: Penang 4 Perlis 4 (Penang win shoot-out 3-2) .
  Women's Final: Pahang 4 Armed Forces 0; Third-Fourth: Kuala Lumpur 2 Selangor 4; Fifth-Sixth: Malacca 1 Perak 1 (Perak win shoot-out 2-1); Seventh-Eighth: Terengganu 1 Johor 2; Ninth-10th: Sarawak 5 Penang 3; 11th-12th: Kedah 1 Sabah 1 (Sabah win shoot-out 4-2).

Pahang women win inaugural title...

RAZAK CUP 2016

In the men's Division Two final, Penang and Perlis played to a 4-4 draw, but Penang gained promotion by winning the shoot-out 3-2.
 And Johor, last in Division One, will play in the lower division next year.
  For Penang, Jiwa Mohan (30th), Izwan Firdaus (42nd, 58th) and Hafizhuddin Zaidi (47th) delivered. The Perlis scorers were Najmi Farizal (35th, 49th), Azhad Akmal (36th) and Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin (39th).
 Meanwhile, in the women's final, Pahang won the inaugural title when they hammered Armed Forces 4-0. The Pahang scorers were Nuraini Abdul Rashid (22nd, 47th), Noorain Arshad (23rd) and Wan Nor Faiezah (40th).
  RESULTS: Division One: Division One Final: Terengganu v Police x.
  Division Two Final: Penang 4 Perlis 4 (Penang win shoot-out 3-2) .
  Women's Final: Pahang 4 Armed Forces 0; Third-Fourth: Kuala Lumpur 2 Selangor 4; Fifth-Sixth: Malacca 1 Perak 1 (Perak win shoot-out 2-1); Seventh-Eighth: Terengganu 1 Johor 2; Ninth-10th: Sarawak 5 Penang 3; 11th-12th: Kedah 1 Sabah 1 (Sabah win shoot-out 4-2).

Gurmit and Sarjit rise again...

From LEFT: Terengganu coach Sarjit Singh and skipper Faizal Shaari. Police skipper Baljit Singh and coach Gurmit Singh.

FORMER National coaches Sarjit Singh and Gurmit Singh were all-praises about each other's abilities yesterday, but the good friends will leave no stone unturned to beat the other to the 54th Razak Cup Division One title at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil Sunday.
  Gurmit will have a slight advantage, as Polices' secret weapon has been penalty corner specialists Razie Rahim and Baljit Singh, while Nabil Fiqri is a super feeder.
  Former national player Baljit has completed his Inspector's training, while national players Nabil and Razie joined a nine-month training stint with Police on May 8, but received exemption to play hockey.
  Sarjit will again bank on his 13 Malaysia Games players, and Faizal Shaari, who is tied on five goals with Razie for the top-scorers' award.
  In Division Two, Perlis will play Penang and the champion will gain promotion. And in the inaugural women's Razak Cup, Pahang will play Armed Forces.
  "I was assistant coach to Sarjit for the 2008 Olympics Qualifier in Japan (Kakamigahara) and learned much from him. We are very good friends off the pitch, but for four quarters tomorrow (today) we will be planning to beat the other at any cost," said Gurmit.
  Police have had a fairy-tale run thus far, as last season they ended as Division Two champions with 17 goals scored by their skipper Baljit. And barely 12 months later, they are in the final of Division One.
  "We had had had a tough journey to reach the final, with Malacca (2-2) and Perak (3-0) giving us a really tough fight (Police scored all three goals in the last quarter).
  "And with the cup just one step away, I believe my team-mates will give their very best to win the first Division One title for Police," said skipper Baljit.
  Terengganu, who last won the title in 2012, but Sarjit is a master tactician, who has turned his 13 Malaysia Games players into gems.
  "My young players have a never-say-die attitude and execute different plans for different teams without asking questions.
  "They have managed to adapt to many different styles of play in this tournament, and even though Gurmit is a very good friend, I have a plan to beat his team to the title," said Sarjit.
  Both Sarjit and Gurmit were unceremoniously dumped after Malaysia finished third in the Kakamigahara Olympic qualifier, but rose from the ashes to lead their teams into the final.
  RESULTS: Division One: Third-Fourth: Malacca x Perak x; Fifth-Sixth: Negri Sembilan x Kuala Lumpur x; Seventh-Eighth: Pahang x Johor (6pm, Pitch I).
  Division Two: Third-Fourth: Kelantan x Forces x.
  Women's Round Two - Group X: Malacca x Pahang x; Group Y: Perak x Selangor x; Group M: Terengganu x Malacca x; Group N: Johor x Penang x.
  SUNDAY: Division One Final: Terengganu v Police (8.35pm, Pitch II).
  Division Two Final: Penang v Perlis (6pm, Pitch II).
  Women's Final: Pahang v Armed Forces (4pm, Pitch II); Third-Fourth: Kuala Lumpur v Selangor (4pm, Pitch I); Fifth-Sixth: Malacca v Perak (9.30am, Pitch II); Seventh-Eighth: Terengganu v Johor (7.30am, Pitch I); Ninth-10th: Sarawak v Penang (7.30am, Pitch II); 11th-12th: Kedah v Sabah (9.30pm, Pitch I).

RAZAK CUP: Terengganu v Police final

TERENGGANU will play Police in the final of the 54th Razak Cup Sunday at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

  In the semi-finals, Terengganu dumped defending champions Malacca 4-0, while Police beat silver medallists Perak 3-0.

  It was an amazing feat from both the finalists, as Terengganu finished a lowly sixth last season, while Police gained promotion after becoming champions in Division Two.

  Malacca were in total shambles, as Terengganu slowed down the match and scored a goal in each quarter.

  Faizal Shaari opened scoring with a reverse stick in the third minute, and contributed another in the 32nd minute. The other goals were scored by 16-year-old Akhimullah Anuar (25th), and Firhan Ashaari (60th).

  As for Police, their opening goal was scored with a tap-in by Kamarudin Latiff, after a super solo run and a reverse stick pass from national player Nabil Fiqri in the 48th minute.

  The second goal followed soon, with a field attempt from Faizal Raza in the 52nd minute. And Nabil rounded up the score to 3-0 with a field attempt in the 56th minute.

  "Our plan worked well as we deliberately slowed down the match to our pace. Malacca are a very fast outfit, and to play their pace would have been disastrous.

  "We were sixth last season, and it is an achievement to reach the final this year. We have a chance to lay our hands on the title, and I believe my players will not waste this golden opportunity," said Terengganu coach Sarjit Singh.

  Terengganu's revelation in the Razak Cup is Akhimullah, 16, and going places.

  "He just returned from the Mannheim (Germany) Under-16 tournament and his parents gave him leave to play in the Razak Cup. He scored the second goal today (yesterday), which eased some pressure on us. I believe he has many more good years to offer his state, as well as the country," said Sarjit.

  Akhimullah scored two goals against the German Under-17 team in Mannheim, to hold them 5-5.

  "I could not have asked more from my players, who rose from Division Two champions to enter the Division One final. This a great moment for the Police Force, and hopefully, we can lift the trophy on Sunday," said Police coach Gurmit Singh.

  RESULTS: Division One -- Semi-finals: Malacca 0 Terengganu 4; Perak 0 Police 3.

  Division Two: Semi-finals: Penang 7 Kelantan 3; Armed Forces 1 Perlis 4; Seventh-Eighth: Sarawak 2 Kedah 4; Fifth-Sixth: Selangor 8 Sabah 2.

  Women's Round Two - Group X: Kuala Lumpur 5 Malacca 1; Group Y: Armed Forces 6 Perak 2; Group M: Sarawak 0 Terengganu 3; Group N: Sabah 1 Johor 3.

  SATURDAY: Division One: Third-Fourth: Malacca v Perak (8pm, Pitch II); Fifth-Sixth: Negri Sembilan v Kuala Lumpur (6pm, Pitch II); Seventh-Eighth: Pahang v Johor (6pm, Pitch I).

  Division Two: Third-Fourth: Kelantan v Armed Forces (8pm, Pitch I).

  Women's Round Two - Group X: Malacca v Pahang (7.30am, Pitch 1); Group Y: Perak v Selangor (7.30am, Pitch 2); Group M: Terengganu v Malacca (9.30am, Pitch 1); Group N:  Johor v Penang (9.30am, Pitch 2).

Police survive Red Card...

NEWLY promoted Police saw red, but still managed to hold Razak Cup defending champion Malacca to a 2-2 draw in a highly tensed Division One Group A match at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil Wednesday.
  Malacca and Police ended with seven points, but the champions topped the group on a better goal average.
  In another Division One Group B match, Perak held Terengganu 4-4 to top the group on seven points.
  Perak will meet Police in the semi-finals on Friday, while Malacca will play Terengganu in the last four.
  National player Azreen Rizal was flashed the red card in the 21st minute for using a vulgar word on umpire Nor Azhar Abiddin. But even with a man down, Police still showed that they are the team to beat in the 54th Edition.
  National skipper Razie Rahim, who also lost his temper and was benched with a yellow, salvaged the match for Police with goals in the 14th and 53rd minutes.
  The Malacca goals were scored by Firdaus Omar in the 27th minute, and Dedy Ariyadi in the 54th minute.
  Police coach Gurmit Singh said: "I think the vulagar word was uttered in the heat of the moment and my player did not deserve a red card. Now we will miss a crucial player in the semi-finals."
  Azreen played in the recent Azlan Shah Cup as a midfielder.
  Malacca coach Azrul Effendy felt his side played the worst game of the tournament.
  "This is our worse match and I know my players can play at a higher level. Hopefully we do not play the same in the semi-finals. We have been in centralised training for more than a month to defend out title, and having come so close, we don't want to lose our grip in the last four," said Azrul.
  RESULTS: Division One: Group A: Malacca 2 Police 2, Pahang 4 Johor 3; Group B: Perak 4 Terengganu 4, Negri Sembilan 1 Kuala Lumpur 3.
  Women's Group A: Pahang 4 Johor 1, Police 0 Sarawak 0; Group B: Kuala Lumpur 3 Terengganu 1, Armed Forces 4 Negri Sembilan 2; Group C: Malacca 4 Kedah 0, Perak 1 Penang 0.
  THURSDAY: Division One - 5th-8th Placing: Pahang v Negri Sembilan (8pm, Pitch I); Johor v Kuala Lumpur (8pm, Pitch II).
  Division Two - 5th-8th Placing: Selangor v Sarawak (6pm, Pitch 1), Sabah v Kedah (6pm, Pitch 2); 
  Women's Second Round - Group X: Pahang v Kuala Lumpur (7.30am, Pitch 1); Group Y: Selangor v Armed Forces (7.30am, Pitch2); Group M: Kedah v Sarawak (9.30am, Pitch 1); Penang v Sabah (9.30am, Pitch 2); 13th - 14th Placing: Police v Negeri Sembilan (6pm, Pitch 2).
  Note: All Matches at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

Razak Cup: Perak check into semis...

RAZAK Cup silver medallists Perak beat Kuala Lumpur 4-2 to move into the semi-finals from Group B at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil Tuesday.
  Terengganu, who were held 2-2 by Negri Sembilan, will have to beat Perak today to claim their spot in the semi-finals. Negri Sembilan also have an outside chance, provided they beat Kuala Lumpur by a big margin and Terengganu lose to Perak.
  Meanwhile, despite nursing an injury, Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin scored five goals to help Perlis hammer Kedah 6-1 in their Group A Division Two match to book a semi-finals ticket.
  In the other Group A match, Penang beat Selangor 2-0 to finish tops on nine points.
  On Friday Perlis will play Armed Forces in the semi-finals, while in the other semis, Kelantan will meet Penang.
  Perlis, who faced a must win situation, were saved by Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin.
  Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin scored in the 19th, 23rd, 32nd, 34th and 40th, while Azwadi Ridzuan (28th), scored the other goal. The Perlis goal was scored by Fahmi Nasir in the 39th minute.
  Perlis coach Badrisham Che Yob praised his star performer.
  "Despite carrying an injury picked up in an earlier match against Selangor, he is irreplaceable for us. Most of our players are still young and they look to him for guidance on and off the field, which he delivers.
  "Today (yesterday), it was a must-win match for us if we wanted to advance and the score line says much about our team spirit."
  RESULTS: Division One: Group B: Negri Sembilan 2 Terengganu 2, Kuala Lumpur 2 Perak 4.
  Division Two: Group A: Selangor 0 Penang 2, Kedah 1 Perlis 6; Group B: Kelantan 4 Sabah 1, Sarawak 0 Armed Forces 12.
  Women's Group A: Selangor 1 Police 0, Sarawak 1 Pahang 5; Group B: Sabah 0 Armed Forces 3, Negeri Sembilan 0 Kuala Lumpur 10.
  WEDNESDAY: Division One: Group A: Malacca v Police (6pm, Pitch I), Pahang v Johor (6pm, Pitch II); Group B: Perak v Terengganu (8pm, Pitch I); Negri Sembilan v Kuala Lumpur (8pm, Pitch II).
  Women's Group A: Pahang v Johor (4pm, Pitch I), Police v Sarawak (4pm, Pitch II); Group B: Kuala Lumpur v Terengganu (7.30am, Pitch I), Armed Forces v Negri Sembilan (7.30am, Pitch II); Group C: Malacca v Kedah (9.30am, Pitch I); Perak v Penang (9.30am, Pitch II).

Razak Cup: Police, Malacca check into semis..

RAZAK Cup Division One champions Malacca notched another emphatic win when they hammered Johor 5-1 in Group A at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil Monday.
  This came at the back of a 3-1 win over Pahang, and now they will square off against Police tomorrow to decide group champions, as both teams have already qualified for the semi-finals.
  Police beat Pahang 4-3 yesterday and also have six points from two matches.
  The Malacca goals were scored by Asyraf Zuhry (15th), Amirrullah Zainol (22nd, 46th), Dedy Ariyadi (56th) and  Firdaus Omar (60th). The Johor consolation was scored by Syafiq Mohamed Zain in the 44th minute.
  In Division Two, Sabah beat neighbours Sarawak 3-1 at Pitch 1 to stay top of the Group B while Armed Forces beat Kelantan 5-2.
  The results see Sabah stay top of the group on six points from two matches while Kelantan and Armed Forces are second and third respectively with three points each. Sarawak are fourth after two losses.
Patrick Ningkan Joseph put Sarawak ahead in the 19th minute but it was all Sabah after that.
Captain Maxhans Christi pulled Sabah level in the 23rd minute from a penalty corner while Muhajir Abdu Rauf made it 2-1 in the 29th minute. Maxhans then bagged his second of the night in the 50th minute to make it 3-1.
Sabah coach Hasrul Jidih was glad that both sides kept their cool and stayed focus on the match.
"Some of the boys from the Sarawak squad are also from the Sabah Sports School, so there is healthy rivalry there.
"They know each other’s strengths and weaknesses as well because they train together. So I told my boys to go on the offensive and hit them on the counter and my team did just that," added Hasrul.
  RESULTS: Men's Division One - Group A: Pahang 3 Police 4; Johor 1 Malacca 5; Division 2 - Group B: Sarawak 1 Sabah 3; Kelantan 2 Armed Forces 5;
Women's Group A: Police 1 Pahang 3; Johor 1 Selangor 2; Group B: Armed Forces 3 Kuala Lumpur 2; Terengganu 1 Sabah 1; Group C: Perak 3 Kedah 1; Penang 0 Malacca 1.

TUESDAY: Men's Division One:- Group B: Negri Sembilan v Terengganu (8pm, Pitch 1); Kuala Lumpur v Perak (8pm, Pitch 2); Division 2 - Group A: Selangor v Penang (6pm, Pitch 1); Kedah v Perlis (6pm, Pitch 2); Group B: Kelantan v Sabah (4pm, Pitch 1); Sarawak v Armed Forces (4pm, Pitch 2);
  Women's Group A: Selangor v Police (9.30am, Pitch 1); Sarawak v Pahang (9.30am, Pitch 2); Group B: Sabah v Armed Forces (7.30am, Pitch 1); Negeri Sembilan v Kuala Lumpur (7.30am, Pitch 2); All Matches at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

Razak Cup: Silver medallists Perak hammer Negri 5-2

RAZAK CUP Division One silver medallists Perak got off to a super start in Group B when they thrashed Negri Sembilan 5-2 at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil Sunday.
  And in another Group B match, Terengganu beat Kuala Lumpur 3-2.
  Perak took a 5-0 lead with goals from Riduan Nasir (first), Hafifi Hafiz (18th, 29th), Zulhamizan Awang (27th) and Ashran Hamsani (32nd). Negri woke up late to score off G. Kavin Kartik (36th) and Sabri Mohamed (55th).
  Meanwhile, in Division Two Perlis survived a late charge to upset Selangor 2-1.
  Selangor, who beat Kedah 8-0 on Saturday, came to life in the final 15 minutes, but only managed to score one of the four penalty corners that came their way in the final quarter of the match.
  The other Group A match saw Penang beat Kedah 3-2 to go top of the group.
  The hard fought win or Perlis came at the back of a 7-3 defeat in the hands of Penang in their opening fixture.
  Former national player Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin opened scoring for Perlis in the 15th minute through a field goal while Afiq Ishak made it 2-0 in the 35th minute before Selangor's Noor Faez Ibrahim pulled one back in the 59th minute.
  Perlis coach Badrisham Che Yob was pleased that his players took the fight to Selangor as a loss would signal an end to their hopes of advancing to the semi-finals.
  "I told my players before the match to go all out, as this is a do-or-die match. Out next match is against Kedah and a win might see us in the semi-finals.
  "Our ex-national Tengku Ahmad and national junior Najmi Farizal led by example today (yesterday), but it was my junior players from the Malaysia Games squad that really deserve the praise," added Badrisham.
  Selangor coach S. Velappan believes his side were over confident after their big win against Kedah.
  "I think today my boys were overconfident as they didn't play well against Kedah but still managed to score eight. Now we face a must-win match against Penang".
  RESULTS: Division One: Group B: Perak 5 Negri Sembilan 2, Kuala Lumpur 2 Terengganu 3.
   Division Two: Group A: Kedah 2 Penang 3, Selangor 1 Perlis 2.
   Women: Group C: Malacca 1 Perak 0, Penang 4 Kedah 2; Group A: Sarawak 3 Johor 3, Pahang 3 Selangor 3; Group B: Negri Sembilan 0 Terengganu 10, Kuala Lumpur 5 Sabah 0.
  MONDAY: Division One: Group A: Pahang v Police (8pm, Pitch I), Johor v Malacca (8pm, Pitch II).
  Division Two: Group B: Sabah v Sarawak (6pm, Pitch I), Kelantan v Armed Forces (6pm, Pitch II).
  Women: Group A: Police v Pahang (7.30am, Pitch I), Johor v Selangor (7.30am, Pitch II); Group B: Arned Forces v Kuala Lumpur (9.30am, Pitch I), Terengganu v Sabah (9.30am, Pitch II); Group C: Perak v Kedah (4pm, Pitch I), Penang v Malacca (4pm, Pitch II).

Razie, Baljit rescue Police

DEFENDING champions Malacca got off to a good start in Division One of the 54th Razak Cup when they beat Pahang 3-1 at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.
    And in another Division One match, newly promoted Police edged Johor 3-2, with a brace from national skipper Razie Rahim who joined Police training on May 8.
  The Malacca goals were scored by Nur Asyraf (38th) and Amirullah Zainol (53rd, 60th). Skipper Ismail Abu scored for Pahang in the 59th minute.
   As for Police, they were down 0-2 before Baljit Singh Sarjab scored in the 39th minure, and Razie gave them the three points off penalty corner attempts in the 40th and 41st minutes.
   The johor goals were scored by Izzwan mohamed in the 23rd and Azammi Adabi in the 33rd minute.
    Meanwhile in Division Two Group B, Sabah began their campaign in the TNB Razak Cup with a convincing 5-0 win over Armed Forces.
    And in the other men's Division Two matches played yesterday, Selangor thrashed Kedah 8-0 while Penang beat Perlis 7-3 in Group A. In the other Group B match, Kelantan trounced Sarawak 6-2.
   In women's Group A, Selangor defeated Sarawak 5-2 and Johor edged Police 2-1 while in Group B, Sabah were 4-1 winners over Negri Sembilan and Armed Forces walked away with a 3-1 victory over Terengganu.
    Sabah started the match on a cautious note, but began to assert themselves as the half progressed and raced to a 3-0 lead before the break as their speedy forward line began to dominate the Forces defence.
    They went ahead through a Dodi Musa field goal in the 21st minute and were 2-0 up a minute later when Forces keeper Khairul Afendy Kamaruzaman's poor clearance allowed Shello Selverius to pick up the loose ball and smash it into the back of the net.
Captain Maxhans Christi made it 3-0 with a well taken penalty stroke in the 26th minute. Dodi got his brace in the 36th and Shello wrapped the win in the 54th minute.
Sabah coach Hasrul Jidih, who drafted seven players from Sabah's Junior Hockey League squad, was happy with the result and the way his young team performed.
"The boys played well and performed much better than expected because a 5-0 win against a strong opponent like Armed Forces is something to cherish.
"We have a young squad and the target is to make the semi-finals," added Hasrul whose charges will play Sarawak next on Monday.
RESULTS: Division One: Group A: Malacca 3 Pahang 1, Johor 2 Police 3.
   Division Two: Group A: Selangor 8 Kedah 0, Perlis 3 Penang 7; Group B: Kelantan 6 Sarawak 2, Armed Forces 0 Sabah 5.
   Women: Group A: Sarawak 2 Selangor 5, Police 1 Johor 2; Group B: Negri Sembilan 1 Sabah 4, Armed Forces 3 Terengganu 1.
   TODAY: Divison One: Group B: Perak v Negri Sembilan (8pm, Pitch I), Kuala Lumpur v Terengganu (8pm, Pitch II).
   Division Two: Group A: Kedah v Penang (6pm, Pitch I), Selangor v Perlis (6pm, Pitch II).
   Women: Group C: Malacca v Perak (7.30am, Pitch I), Penang v Kedah (7.30am, Pitch II); Group A: Sarawak v Johor (9.30am, Pitch I), Pahang v Selangor (9.30am, Pitch II); Group B: Negri Sembilan v Terengganu (4pm, Pitch I), Kuala Lumpur v Sabah (4pm, Pitch II).

54th Razak Cup: Police the team to beat..

MALACCA will be out to defend their Division One Razak Cup title starting this weekend, but first, they have to shoot down favourites Police.
  Police, who won the Division Two title last season, won not only promotion but also gained national skipper Razie Rahim and midfielder Nabil Fiqri.
  Both of the joined Police training on May 8, but have received release letters to play in the Razak Cup.
  Police will also have former national players Baljit Singh Sarjab, who scored 17 goals last season, Kelvinder Singh, Jivan Mohan and Megat Azrafiq.
  "With the inclusion of the country's No 1 drag flicker Razie, I believe we have a good chance of finishing top-four in Division One," said former national player Gurmit Singh who will be coaching Police.
  Police are in Group A with defending champions Malacca, Johor and Pahang. In Group B are Kuala Lumpur, Perak, Terengganu and Negri Sembilan.
  ‘Malacca Hurricanes’, as they are better known, won the Razak Cup in 2005, repeated the feat in 2009 and defeated Perak 1-0 in the 2015 final for only their third title. They open their Division One campaign against Pahang Saturday which also sees Johor playing Police.
  Malacca skipper B. Namasivayam said: “Our early target is to qualify for the semi-finals. There are no easy matches as every team is geared up strongly for the Razak Cup.”
  “The Police team is also in our group and we are certainly expecting tough matches ahead," said Namasivayam.
  In the men's Division Two Group A are Penang, Selangor, Kedah, Perlis and in Group B are Armed Forces, Kelantan, Sarawak and Sabah.
  The prize money for Division One is RM10,000 for the champion, RM7,000 for runner-up and RM5,000 for finishing third. Division Two winner gets RM5,000, runners-up RM3,000 and third-placed team RM2,000.
  The women's Razak Cup will make its debut, 53 years after the men's tournament was incepted in 1963.
  A total of 12 state teams alongside Police and Armed Forces will compete in the inaugural women's league, bringing the total number of teams to 14 divided into three groups. Only Kelantan and Perlis have opted out.
  Pahang, Sarawak, Police, Johor and Selangor are in Group A. Kuala Lumpur, Negri Sembilan, Armed Forces, Terengganu and Sabah are Group B while Malacca, Perak, Penang and Kedah are in Group C.
  The women’s champions will receive RM5,000, runners-up RM3,000 and RM2,000 for finishing third.

AHF confirm Kuantan, ranking points for ACT

THE Asian Hockey Federation (AHF), in a meeting in Dubai yesterday, confirmed Malaysia as the hosts for the Fourth Edition of the Asian Champions Trophy.
  The tournament will be held in Kuantan on Oct 20-30, and will award International Hockey Federation (FIH) ranking points for the first time.
  Malaysia will be up against defending champions India, Pakistan, Japan, South Korea, China, and Bangladesh. The top-three teams will receive ranking points.
  For the record, Malaysia finished fourth in all three earlier editions.
  The AHF meeting was chaired by president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, and it was also decided that countries which do not compete in the Asian Games, Asia Cup and Asian Champions Trophy will not be allowed to play in the relevant qualifiers for the World Cup and Olympics.
  The Asian Games and Asia Cup will remain as a qualifier for the World Cup and Olympics.
  The women's Asian Champions Trophy will be held in Singapore on Oct 29-Nov 6, and coach K. Dharmaraj's ladies will compete against India, South Korea, China and Japan.
  October if set t be a 'hockey fest' as the Sultan of Johor Cup will be held a day after the Asian Champions Trophy in Johor Baru.
  The junior invitational, on Oct 31-Nov 6, will showcase teams which has qualified for the New Delhi Junior World Cup. Malaysia, the only odd one out who did not qualify, will be up against Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Pakistan and England.
  All the three Malaysian teams competing in these tournaments will be playing in the Australian National League in September/October.

Whitsun Cup: Malaysia Under-16 5 Germany Under-17 5

THE Malaysian Under-16 team ended their Whitsun Cup campaign on a laudable note when they came back from 1-4 to hold Germany Under-17 5-5 in Mannheim yesterday.
  But the 'Malaysian Syndrome' of letting in last minute goals came back to haunt even this squad which is in its infant stage of preparing for the 2020 Junior World Cup.
  After a mammoth come-back, Malaysia took a 5-4 lead, but with one minute remaining on the clock, the Germans scored the equaliser.
  On Sunday night, they bungled two penalty strokes when they lost 3-1 to Netherlands in their second match. Malaysia were drubbed 6-1 by Germany Under-16 in the first match.
  Malaysia got their goals off Akhimullah Anuar (two goals), Arif Syafie, Zafri Afiq and Amirul Hamizan.
  Coach Nor Saiful Zaini said his charges played their best match of the tournament. 
  "It was great to see the boys come back into the match after going 1-4 down. We were sharper in attack but could have fared better defensively. Our goals were results of well taken chances. I also must give credit to the goalkeeper (Helmi Fazli, from Bukit Jalil Sports School) who made some very good saves", said Saiful.
  Malaysia ended the tournament with 1 point, after losing their first 2 matches to Germany U16 (1-6) and Holland (1-3).
  "The boys understand the demands of international youth hockey. They responded fairly well to several new ideas and this will augur well for us in the future. Overall, I believe this tour has served us well in understanding the players we have and the areas we need to work on collectively".
  And the major concern for Saiful, as seen in the first two matchers, were the goalkeeping and strike-force department.
  The other goalkeeper is Hamiz Ahir from Temerloh Sports School.
  "The departments that needs urgent improvement are goalkeeping and scoring. Both the goalkeepers were guilty of letting in soft, very soft, goals in the first two matches. We also bungled more than 10 scoring chances in both the matches.
  "Also, we failed to score two penalty strokes against Netherlands, which could have turned the tables on the Dutch."
  According to Saiful, Malaysia were always on top of the three teams, on possession and penalty corner's won, and the scoreline does not reflect the actual game atmosphere.

Whitsun U16 Cup: Mas 1 Netherlands 3

Malaysia miss TWO PENALTY STROKES... more to follow

Whitsun U16 Cup: Germany send Malaysia into orbit...

 DRUBBING after the drubbing..

THE Malaysian Under-16 team were sent into orbit when they received a 6-1 drubbing from the German Under-16 team in the Whitsun Cup in Mannheim Sunday.
  Coach Nor Saiful Zaini laid the blame on the inexperience, and technically unsound Temerloh Sports School goalkeeper Hamiz Ahir.
  Goalkeepers coach M. Nadarajan had conducted a four-day training for hamiz, and Bukit Jalil Sports School goalkeeper Helmi Fazli -- and had raised his concern on their lack of basics.
   Malaysia had 14 circle penetrations and only scored once as opposed to their opponents who had 16 penetrations and scored six times.
  Hamiz was a bundle of nerves as he conceded soft goals.
  "We were let down by poor finishing and conceded rather soft goals," said Nor Saiful Zaini.
  "We knew about the weakness in the goalkeeping department and this is something we need to address as changes need to be made to the system.
  "We played open Hockey and I have no regrets with the outcome as it simply boils down to our inability to score and defend well.
  "These two areas need more work, and it's something I hope to see some improvement in our next match against Netherlands.
  Zafri Afiq scored the solitary Malaysian goal in the 58th minute, while the Germans hit a sixer off Masi Pandt (ninth), Marinus Mack (11th, 51st), Christopher Kutter (64th), Hannes Müller (68th, 70th).
  Nor Saiful said his boys had dominated play and the scoreline was not a just reflection of how the match went.
  "We were on top of them for long spells but could not put away the chances.
  "It's a long learning curve and this defeat will give them an indication that the road to success at international level will only come through sheer hard work and the desire to improve.
  "That is why I fielded the same goalkeeper throughout the match so Hamiz could gain exposure and learn from this match."

Whitsun Cup: Malaysia 1 Germany U16 6

MALAYSIA DRUBBED 6 1 in Mannheim... GOALKEEPER LETS IN SOFT GOALS... more to follow

Whitsun Cup: Inexperience cause of friendly defeat...

THE MALAYSIAN Under-16 team lost 2-0 to the German Under-16 team in a friendly in Mannheim Friday, but had plenty of chances to seal off the match.
  Inexperience saw them bungle five penalty corners, and five open play sitters.
  The boys were selected after the recent National Under-16 tournament, and underwent a four-day training in Ipoh during the Azlan Shah Cup.
  In Mannheim, they will play against Netherlands, German Under-16 and German Under-17.
  They start with Germany Under-16 Sunday, for the Whitsun Cup.
  The match was played in 20 minute halves and Germany Germans scored a goal in each half via quick counter-attacks.
  According to coach Nor Saiful Zaini, the scoreline was a little too flattering towards the hosts.
   "We had five clear chances to score but poor finishing, inexperience and a really good goalkeeper stood in the way of any possible turnaround. The Germans were physically bigger but we held our own against them. 
  "We also had five penalty corners to Germany's one but failed to convert any. Overall, I am happy with the performance and look forward to the tournament Sunday", said Saiful.
 This is an invitational tournament where Malaysia were left out for the last two editions. However, Malaysia finished second behind Germany in the Whitsun Cup when it made its debut in 2010.
  MALAYSIAN Under-16: Goalkeepers: Hamiz Ahir, Helmi Fazli; Defenders: Kamarulzaman Kamaruddin, Zulfitri Zin, Arif Syafie.
 Midfielders: Pavandip Singh s/o Gurdip Singh, Amirul Hamizan, Akram Hakkam, Granson Noel, Faiz Aiman, Zafri Afiq, Syarman Mat Tee.
 Forwards: Haridzmi Nizam, Noor Firdaus Rosdi, Muhibuddin Moharam, Syamin Naim, Saifuddin Azli, Akhimullah Anuar.
  Coach: Nur Saiful Zaini; Assistant Coach: Sufian Mohamed.

Ranking points for Asian Champions Trophy

THE Fourth Edition of Asian Champions Trophy finally received  recognition as the International Hockey Federation (FIH) will accord it world ranking points.

  Ranking points have become paramount, as the World League format to qualify for World Cups and Olympics relies heavily on it when teams are tied on the same placing.

  Malaysia finished sixth in the World League semi-finals in Antwerp, but Argentina World League sixth placed New Zealand went to the Rio de Janeiro Olympics because they were higher ranked.

  The decision by the FIH Executive Board, which met in April, was conveyed to the Asian Hockey Federation on May 12.

  "This is great news for Asian teams and it will surely make the tournament more competitive as well raise its profile," said Malaysian Hockey Confederation CEO K. Logan Raj.

  "From our perspective, gaining valuable ranking points will surely boost our chances of moving up the world rankings."

   With a higher profile, it can be rest assured that this years Asian Champions Trophy, slated from Oct 20-30 in Kuantan, could see a more closely challenged event, thus giving Asian hockey the much needed boost.

  The other five teams which will compete in Kuantan are India, Pakistan, South Korea, China and Japan -- based on the top-six finish in the last Asian Games.

  The ACT, incepted in 2011, was not accorded ranking points and teams started to take it lightly by sending their development squads.

  Prior to this teams in Asia could only gain ranking points from continental tournaments like the Asian Games or Asia Cup.

  And for the second-tier Asian teams, the FIH confirmed that an Asian Champions Challenge will be held where ranking points will also be accorded.

  Malaysia ranked 13th in the World, held world no 8 New Zealand 3-3 twice in the Azlan Shah Cup pool and bronze medal matches, indicating that the team's rankings are well below their playing level.

  The first edition of the ACT was held in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, in 2011 followed by Doha, Qatar, in 2012 and Kakamigahara, Japan, in 2013.

  Malaysia finished third in all three ACT's, which did not offer any ranking points then.

Razak Cup: Razie power for Police...

NATIONAL skipper Razie Rahim and midfielder Nabil Fiqri are set to play for Police in Division One of the 54th Razak Cup on May 21-29 at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
  Razie and Nabil, both stalwarts in the national team, joined Police Inspector's training on May 8 and are supposed to be out of touch with hockey for nine months, but special arrangements have been made for them to play in the Razak Cup.
  Police became the Division Two champions last season, and their promotion to Division One could see them land a medal with a strong cast.
  Three other former internationals Kelvinder Singh, Jivan Mohan and Baljit Singh Sarjab; who have completed their Inspector's trainings; together with former international Megat Azrafiq will be the main pillars of Police again.
  Baljit almost 'single handedly' handed Police the Division Two title and promotion with 17 penalty corner goals last season.
  But this season, they will have Malaysia's No 1 penalty corner flicker and top defender Razie for goals.
  "I have not been informed about Razie and Nabil's situation as they have just joined training and would need a release letter to play in the Razak Cup.
  "However, if they are allowed to play, Police will be able to give a stronger challenge in Division One," said former national coach Gurmit Singh.
  Gurmit, with Sarjit Singh, coached the national squad for the 2008 Kakamigahara Olympic Qualifier.
  Police are in Group A with defending champions Malacca, Johor and Pahang. In Group B are silver medallists Perak, Kuala Lumpur, Negri Sembilan and Terengganu.
  In Division Two, Group A consists of Selangor, Kedah, Perlis and Penang. In Group B are Kelantan, Armed Forces, Sabah and Sarawak.
  The women's Razak Cup will also be held simultaniously, and Polcie are again the 'big winners' as natinal players Farah Ayuni Yahya and Noor Hasliza Ali, who also joined Inspectors training on May 8, will be released to play.
  The women's Group A is made up of Pahang, Sarawak, Police, Johor, Selangor; Group B: Kuala Lumpur, Negri Sembila, Armed Forces, Terengganu, Sabah; Group C: Malacca, Penang, Perak, Kedah.
  The women's Razak Cup will make its debut, in what is actually a name change from the previous Raja Noora Ashikin Cup.

MHC: Report Card by Satwant Dhaliwal

Read part 1 of the Hockey Report Card here http://malaysianhockey.blogspot.com/2016/05/report-card-friday-13-part-1.html

MHL: Magnificent Seven barred...

MALAYSIAN Hockey Confederation (MHC) coaching committee chairman Datuk Ow Soon Kooi said Sunday none of the coaches dubbed as the 'Magnificent Seven' will be allowed to coach or play for teams in this years Malaysia Hockey League (MHL).

  The seven are National seniors coach Stephen van Huizen, his assistant Lim Chiow Chuan; women's chief coach K. Dharmaraj, his assistant Lailin Abu Hassan; National Development team head coach Wallace Tan, Women's Development squad head coach K. Gobinathan and 1Mas Director Tai Beng Hai.

  In reiterating this stand, Soon Kooi said that this condition was already made known to the coaches in January.

  "They know MHC's stand and I believe all will adhere to the decision," said Soon Kooi.

  "The seven have a role to play during the MHL as they will have to monitor the performances of their respective players as well as scout for talent.

  "I hope the coaches will understand the situation and I hope their clubs too realise that as full time coaches with MHC they have to adhere to the regulations."

  Teams that will be affected by this rule are KL Hockey Club (Dharmaraj and Chiow Chuan), Sapura (van Huizen and Beng Hai) as well as Uitm (Gobinathan).

  While these seven cannot coach or play, some others will be allowed to coach or play in the MHL.

  Amongst those who are still expected to play are Roslan Jamaluddin (KLHC) and Amin Rahim (TNB).

  Roslan is the goalkeeper coach for the National Development Squad while Amin is the assistant coach of the team.

  It will be interesting to see who will now handle high profile teams such as KLHC and Sapura, as this season, clubs not only have to scout for foreign players during the Olympic period, but also for calibre coaches to handle high profile clubs.

MHL: Competitions Committee needs 10 days...

PIC: National women's team in action in Kakamigahara, Japan.

THE Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) Competitions Committee still needs 10 more days to decide if the planned Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) would be held smack in the middle of the Olympics, or changed to a later date.
  In an earlier calender drawn up by the Competitions Committee, the MHL is slated to be held in August, but teams are crying fault, as they will not be able to secure foreign players form the top-twelve countries in the world who would be playing in Rio de Janeiro.
  The MHL teams would only be able to sign second stringers, and players from countries which did not qualify for the Olympics.
  "The Competitions Committee discussed about the MHL issue, and said they needed at least 10 days more to decide either to stick with August, or find an alternative date for it," said MHC CEO K. Logan Raj.
  The meeting also decided that Division Two teams also can hire foreign players, if they want.
  However, from the traditional MHL foreign list, only Pakistan, South Korea and Japan did not qualify for the Olympics and their players would be available for the MHL.
  Meanwhile, the Malaysian women's team lost their seventh friendly on the Japan Tour.
  It was the sixth match against the Japan Juniors, and the Malaysian senior women lost 2-0.
  But despite the losing spree, women's coach K. Dharmaraj said his charges played extremely well.
  "The team played a really good match, their best of the series thus far. We have 12 girls in this team who are Under 21 so the age difference with Japan isn't nearly as far as one would assume.
  "Last year, Malaysia were thrashed by the bigger teams at the Junior Women's Asia Cup. Now, a majority of the same players are competitive against the No 1 and No 2 junior teams in Asia.
 "There is visible progress, but we are still a good way off where we aspire to be", he explained.
  Coach Dharmaraj's players beat Japan Juniors A 3-2 in the morning and held Japan Juniors B 2-2 in the evening of May 3, but their next back-to-back matches turned out to be drubbings.
  They lost 2-0 to Japan Juniors A and Nanto Bank Japan 5-0 in matches played in Wednesday morning and evening.
  And on Thursday, they played two more back-to-back matches and lost 2-1 to Japan Juniors and 5-1 to Japan Juniors A. 
  Malaysia will play two more games before returning  home on May 10.

Pavandip and gang head for Mannheim Whitsun Cup

FORMER Olympian Nor Saiful Zaini named 18 under-16 players Friday for the Whitsun Cup in Mannheim, Germany, on May 13-16 as Malaysia embark on a journey towards the 2020 Junior World Cup.
  The boys were selected after the recent National Under-16 tournament, and underwent a four-day training in Ipoh during the Azlan Shah Cup.
  In Mannheim, they will play against Netherlands, German Under-16 and German Under-17.
  This is an invitational tournament where Malaysia were left out for the last two editions. However, Malaysia finished second behind Germany in the Whitsun Cup when it made its debut in 2010.
  "We selected a pool of 30 from the National Under-16 tournament and after four days in Ipoh, the 18 were selected for Mannheim. These are the cream of the crop, but they lack international experience and would get their first taste against two German teams and the Netherlands," said Saiful Zaini.
  Only three players have seen action overseas, when they played for 1Mas in the FHE Cup in Perth last year.
  Midfielders Pavandip Singh s/o Gurdip Singh and Akram Hakkam; and goalkeeper Hamiz Ahir helped 1Mas become champions in the tournament by beating Western Australia Heat 1-0 in the final.
  Malaysian Hockey Confederation CEO K. Logan Raj said: "The MHC reiterates its commitment towards development and the formulation of a strong team for the Junior World Cup 2020.
  "It is then imperative to understand that results, although significant, currently takes a back seat to the overall plan."
  No targets were set for the boys, as Saiful Zaini was more inclined towards blooding the boys.
  "This will be a first international tournament for 15 of my players so I will not focus on results. Of course we will aim to finish as high as possible, but going into the tournament with no knowledge of the two German teams as well as Netherlands, we will have to play by ear during each match," said Saiful Zaini.
 MALAYSIAN Under-16: Goalkeepers: Hamiz Ahir, Helmi Fazli; Defenders: Kamarulzaman Kamaruddin, Zulfitri Zin, Arif Syafie.
 Midfielders: Pavandip Singh s/o Gurdip Singh, Amirul Hamizan, Akram Hakkam, Granson Noel, Faiz Aiman, Zafri Afiq, Syarman Mat Tee.
 Forwards: Haridzmi Nizam, Noor Firdaus Rosdi, Muhibuddin Moharam, Syamin Naim, Saifuddin Azli, Akhimullah Anuar.
  Coach: Nur Saiful Zaini; Assistant Coach: Sufian Mohamed.

Our women blow hot and cold in Japan...

THE Malaysian women's hockey team started their Japan Tour on a good note, but could not sustain the pace after playing two matches per-day in Kakamigahara.
  Coach K. Dharmaraj's players beat Japan juniors A 3-2 in the morning and held Japan juniors B 2-2 in the evening of May 3, but their next back-to-back matches turned out to be drubbings.
  They lost 2-0 to Japan juniors A 2-0 and Nanto Bank Japan 5-0 in matches played in Wednesday morning and evening.
  And on Thursday, they played two more back-to-back matches and lost 2-1 to Japan Juniors and 5-1 to Japan Juniors A.
  The women will play three more matches before ending the Tour on May 10.
  Meanwhile, 14 teams will kick-start the inaugural 1MAS Boys' Under-13 tournament at the Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh Friday.
  The two-day tournament will be played on a zonal system with Penang, Perlis, Kedah and Sabah drawn in North zone while Perak, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur in central zone.
  In East zone are Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan and Sarawak while South zone has Malacca, Negeri Sembilan and Johor.
  The champion of each zone will advance to the final at a later date.
  Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) Director of Development, Tai Beng Hai, said the 1MAS programmes complements the age-group tournaments organised by the Ministry of Education (KPM) and Malaysian Schools Sports council (MSSM).
  “MHC is working in tandem with KPM and MSSM in our efforts to create a wider pool of junior players. These tournaments are good exposure for the younger players who will develop into better players as they progress to play in the National Under-14 and Under-16 tournaments in future,” said Beng Hai.
  MHC, said Beng Hai, looks into organising National Under-14 and Under-16 tournaments while the Under-11, Under-13 and Under-15 tournaments come under the purview of 1MAS.
  The 1MAS Girls Under-13 tournament will be held at a later date.

Negri HA Razak Cup Open trial..

NEGRI Sembilan will miss the services of national No 1 goalkeeper S. Kumar for the Razak Cup in Kuala Lumpur on May 21-29.
  Injury has forced him out of representing his home state.
  "Kumar is still undergoing rehabilitation after tearing his adductor muscle while playing in the last Test match against Australia in Perth last month.
  "He will not be ready for the Razak Cup, but we have our back-up plans to blood younger goalkeepers," said Negri Sembilan Razak Cup coach S. Chandran.
  Kumar, 37, who has been playing in the Razak Cup since 1997, played for his home state last season but Negri lost in the Fifth-Sixth classification 3-7 to Pahang.
  "Kumar is expected to undergo a check with the National Sports Institute on May 17, but it is too late to wait for him. We will also field many Malaysia Games players this season, and hopefully the young side will do much better than last year," said Chandran.
  Malacca were the surprise package last year when they wobbled into the final, but beat favourites and 2014 champions Perak 1-0 to lift the title.
  Negri Sembilan will be holding an Open trial on Saturday at the Seremban II Stadium from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.
   For more information, call Chandran at 016-3157113  or NSHA secetary P. Tamilselvam at 019-3650303.

Asian Champions Trophy in Kuantan Oct 20-30

KUANTAN is set to host the Fourth Edition of the Asian Champions Trophy (ACT) on Oct 20-30 after negotiations resolved the hefty sanction fee issue.

  The Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) had asked for a US40,000 (RM156,000) sanction fee to host the tournament, but after the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) refused to meet their demand -- the AHF met them half-way.

  "The AHF had asked for US40,000 sanction fee to host the ACT, but the MHC felt it was too steep and they were willing to let go of the host job, but negotiations managed to half the sanction fee to US20,000 (RM78,000) and Kuantan will host it in October," said a hockey official who wanted to remain anonymous.

  It looks like October is going to be a hectic month for hockey as right after the ACT the Sultan Of JOhor Cup will be held on Oct 31-Nov 6 in Johor Baru.

  And right smack in the middle of both tournaments is Deevapali on Oct 29.

  The First Edition was held in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, in 2011 followed by Doha, Qatar, in 2012 and Kakamigahara, Japan, in 2013.

  Malaysia finished third in all three ACT's, which does not offer any ranking points but is just a tournament for the top-six Asian Games teams to spar.

  The top-six in the 2014 Incheon, South Korea Games in finishing order are India, Pakistan, South Korea, Malaysia, China and Japan.

  "But by halving the sanction fee, the tournament will lose video referral and also full live telecast of matches," said the official.

  The president of the AHF is Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, who was a former MHC president, and is also an International Hockey Federation elected Executive Board member.

A shocker for keepers coach Nada...

GOALKEEPERS coach M. Nadarajan was taken aback when two Under-16 goalkeepers came under his wings for the May 13-16 Mannheim Four-Nation in Germany.
  The duo were selected after the National Under-16 by scouts Tai Beng Hai, S. Vellapan and Amin Rahim -- and supposedly the cream of the crop.
  "They were the best performers in the National Under-16, but sadly, they lacked basics and did not even know simple goalkeeping drills. It is not their fault, as I am the first goalkeepers coach they ever had," said Nadarajan.
  Surprisingly, Hamiz Ahir from Pahang and Helmi Fazil from Selangor, are both from sports schools.
  "I was taken aback, when they told me that I am their first goalkeepers coach as before this they were on their own. Thats why they did not even know the basic drills which must be done regularly to keep keepers on their toes.
  "Both of them reported early because they are in the Klang Valley, while the rest of the outfield players will report for training on Tuesday," said Nadarajan.
  In the Four-Nation, Malaysia will be up against Germany, Netherlands and Belgium.
  The team will be coached by Nor Saiful Zaini and assisted by  Mohamed Suffian.
  "There is a lot to be done with this two goalkeepers, and hopefully they perform against the best teams in Europe," said Nadarajan, a former national keeper who is now into coaching.