Sunday, May 6, 2018

TNB CUP: SSTMI and Penang champions

KUALA LUMPUR: Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (SSTMI) Thunderbolts beat Pahang Sports School (AHP-SSP) Thunderbolts 4-0 to lift the men's Junior Hockey League (JHL) TNB Cup Sunday.
  And as promised on the eve of the final, Akhimullah Anuar Esook scored in his third consecutive finals for SSTMI. Akhimullah delivered in the 25th and 34th minutes, after Izham Azhar opened scoring in the 23rd minute. The other goal was scored by Amirul Hamizan Azahar in the 52nd minute. 
  Wearing jersey No 10, the lanky Akhimullah has also scored in the 2016 and 2017 finals, and became the JHL top-scorer with 18 goals for the second consecutive year.
  Last year, he top-scored with 17 goals.
  And in the recent Bangkok Asian Youth Olympics Qualifier, a five-a-side tournament, Akhimullah scored 16 goals to hand Malaysia the silver and a ticket to the Buenos Aires, Argentina, Youth Olympics on Oct 6-18.
  In the women's TNB Cup final, a solitary goal from Nurmaizatul Hanim Syafi in the 23rd minute was enough for Penang side MSSPP-PSHA to beat Kuala Lumpur's WIPERS-KLSS.
  Penang women's coach Leo Vincey, when asked what's the magic, said: "No magic, just hard work and unity which saw my players win the TNB Cup."
  Except for one girl, the rest of the players are all from Mutiara Impian School in Penang.
  "This is a long term effort from the school, as well as the management of the team. Three of my girls were also good enough to be selected for the Bangkok Asian Youth Olympics Qualifier (where Malaysian women finished third) and the good news is that all my players are also eligible to play in next year's JHL, as they are 18 and below right now," said seasoned coach Leo Vincey.
  RESULTS -- TNB CUP Final: Men -- Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (SSTMI) Thunderbolts 4 Pahang Sports School (AHP-SSP) Thunderbolts 0.
   Women -- Penang (MSSPP-PSHA) 1 Kuala Lumpur (WIPERS-KLSS) 0.