Sunday, October 30, 2016

India dethrone Pakistan...

INDIA won the Asian Champions Trophy gold medal when they edged defending champions Pakistan 3-2 in a highly entertaining match in Kuantan Sunday.
  The India goals were scored by Rupinder Pal Singh (eighth), Yousuf Affan (23rd) and Thimmaiah Chandanda (51st).
  And Pakistan got their goals off Aleem Bilal (26th) and Ali Shan (38th).

Fourth consecutive bronze for Malaysia...

MALAYSIA won their fourth consecutive Asian Champions Trophy bronze medal when they beat South Korea 3-1 in a penalty shoot-out in Kuantan Sunday.
  It was the Fourth Edition of the ACT, and Malaysia held Korea 1-1 before winning the shoot-out confidently.
  In the final -- will send one more para -- one more para.
  After a poot shoot-out in the semi-finals against Pakistan on Saturday, Firhan Ashaari, Faizal Shaari and Nabil Fiqri were all Malaysia needed to win the bronze while the other two players were never needed.
  Goalkeper S. Kumar brought off three saves and was the hero of the moment.
  "It has been a tough tournament as we had to play seven matches in a packed schedule because the tournament rules were changed to the semi-finals format instead of the norm in the last three editions where the top-two teams after the round-robbin qualify for the final.
  "Malaysia (who finished second in the pool) would have been in the final if not for the change of format to semi-finals in a six-team tournament," lamented Kumar. who has been involved in many shoot-outs in his career.
  Kumar also said after watching the video of the Korea-India semi-finals shoot-out, he knew what to do yesterday.
  "I have been in many shoot-outs before and prepared for today (yesterday) by watching the Korea-India shoot-out. It helped me identify the strikers patterns and that's why I managed to stop all of them," said Kumar.
  The rain came pouring down as Malaysia and South Korea started their quest for bronze.
  Malaysia took the lead of Shahril Saabah in the 14th minute, his fourth goal of the tournament.
  However, South Korea equalised off skipper Jung Manjae off their first penalty corner in the 17th minute.
  Shahril was yellow carded 20 seconds from half-time, and Malaysia re-entered the pitch with 10-men and looking very jaded.
  The score stood in the next two quarters, and it went to a penalty shoot-out to decide the winners.
  RESULTS: Final -- India x Pakistan x; Third-Fourth: Malaysia 1 South Korea 1 (Malaysia win shoot-out 3-1).

SOJC: England challenge for hosts...

MALAYSIA confirmed their Sultan of Johor Cup (SOJC) squad at the 11th Hour, with ten players from last year's bronze medallists still remain standing.
  The hosts - the only team in Johor not bound for the Junior World Cup in Lucknow - are out on a missing to redeem themselves after failing at the Junior Asia Cup last year.
  Malaysia open their campaign against England Monday, at the Taman Daya Stadium, who boast of many players from last year's Great Britain side, before taking on Australia, Pakistan, Japan and New Zealand.
  "We will be out to prove that we are worthy alongside five countries which have qualified for the world cup," said team manager Yahya Atan.
  "These are the next batch of Malaysian players and in Johor they must indicate, that they want to be in contention for the senior team someday."
  Malaysia have named a number of players that competed in the Australian Hockey League, among them are Rizwan Azmi, Firdaus Omar, Lukman Nur Hakim, Nor Azmi Rahman and Syed Shafiq.
  MALAYSIA: Rizwan Azmi, Zaimi Mat Deris, Luqman Nul Hakim, Firdaus Omar, Najib Hassan, Najmi Farizal, Zalupidaus Mizun, Rozaini Baharom, Syed Syafiq Cholan, Amrirol Aideed, Arif Syafie, Ashran Hamsani, Rafizul Ezry, Firdaus Fauzi, Norsyafiq Sumantri, Nik Aiman Rozemi, Hafiizhuddin Zaidi, Akhimullah Anuar, Abdul Khaliq, Zulhamizan Awang.