THE Razak Cup, which is the country's second oldest hockey tournament, saw some exciting results in its 49th edition with champions Kuala Lumpur tested to the limit before claiming their 19th title with a golden goal on Thursday.
Division One runners-up Pahang and third-placed Terengganu were the revelations of the tournament, as they came close to creating history.
Pahang were spearheaded by former national player Ismail Abu, who was aptly named the Division One Player of the Tournament, and he is now looking forward to receiving a national call-up.
"The feeling is mixed as I was named Player of the Tournament, but I failed to help Pahang win their first Razak Cup title.
"We were close, very close, and now I hope to don national colours again. It has been a while since I was in the national team and I hope to get my place back. The national coaches and selectors were here, so hopefully my performance will help my cause," said Ismail.
He was dropped from the national team in October 2009 before the World Cup qualifiers in Invercargil, New Zealand, after playing truant during centralised training.
Ismail also scored 17 goals for Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club in the Malaysia League.
Pahang, void of national players, will host the Malaysia Games next year and have nine Razak Cup players eligible to spearhead their challenge.
Terengganu also paraded youngsters, and will have 12 players from the Malacca tournament eligible for the Malaysia Games.
In Division Two, Negri Sembilan's title effort came with promotion to Division One next year, and their coach S. Chandran hopes the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) will do away with qualifiers next year.
"First of all, national players always have a tight calendar and this year they were unable to help some teams during the second leg of the qualifier. This resulted in some of them dropping to Division Two.
"I hope MHF will do away with the qualifier which was not only a waste of time but also made the Razak Cup more expensive to compete in," said Chandran.
Negri spent RM35,000 and received RM5,000 for the gold medal.
The tournament saw teams play five matches in six days and it did look like KL and Pahang players could have done much better if they had been given a rest day after the semi-finals, and not forced to play another highly charged match the next day.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
FIH threatenens India..
NEW DELHI (AP) — The International Hockey Federation threatened Friday to strip India of the right to host this year’s Champions Trophy and February’s Olympic qualifiers following a row between two Indian hockey bodies.
The FIH, hockey’s international body, said it did not recognize the settlement brokered on Monday of a turf war between Hockey India and the Indian Hockey Federation. The two groups agreed to form a joint executive board until the end of 2012 following mediation by India’s sports ministry.
However, the FIH said a country could only have one ruling body for the sport, and that it only recognized Hockey India.
“It is a fundamental and non-negotiable requirement of the Olympic Charter and the FIH Statutes that there can only be one governing body for a sport in each country with exclusive authority and responsibility to govern, organize national competitions and to enter national teams in international competitions,” it said in a statement.
As a result, the FIH announced it was halting all discussions about tournaments in India, including the men’s Champions Trophy (Dec. 1-12) and both the men’s and women’s Olympic qualifiers (Feb. 15-26).
“The FIH Executive Board has decided that it is neither possible nor appropriate to continue with the discussions with HI to host tournaments in India over the next four-year cycle, particularly the FIH Men’s Champions Trophy and the FIH Men’s & Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.”
The FIH also said it has written to Indian Sports Minister Ajay Maken, calling on him to have an urgent meeting with Hockey India and the Indian Olympic Association on the issue.
Eight-time Olympic gold medallist India failed to qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and is yet to ensure a place for London 2012.
The FIH, hockey’s international body, said it did not recognize the settlement brokered on Monday of a turf war between Hockey India and the Indian Hockey Federation. The two groups agreed to form a joint executive board until the end of 2012 following mediation by India’s sports ministry.
However, the FIH said a country could only have one ruling body for the sport, and that it only recognized Hockey India.
“It is a fundamental and non-negotiable requirement of the Olympic Charter and the FIH Statutes that there can only be one governing body for a sport in each country with exclusive authority and responsibility to govern, organize national competitions and to enter national teams in international competitions,” it said in a statement.
As a result, the FIH announced it was halting all discussions about tournaments in India, including the men’s Champions Trophy (Dec. 1-12) and both the men’s and women’s Olympic qualifiers (Feb. 15-26).
“The FIH Executive Board has decided that it is neither possible nor appropriate to continue with the discussions with HI to host tournaments in India over the next four-year cycle, particularly the FIH Men’s Champions Trophy and the FIH Men’s & Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.”
The FIH also said it has written to Indian Sports Minister Ajay Maken, calling on him to have an urgent meeting with Hockey India and the Indian Olympic Association on the issue.
Eight-time Olympic gold medallist India failed to qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and is yet to ensure a place for London 2012.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
KL champions for 19th time
A LETHAL combination from Kelvinder Singh and Nabil Fiqri handed Kuala Lumpur their 19th Razak Cup title when they edged a fighting Pahang 1-0 at the Bukit Serindit Stadium in Malacca yesterday.
KL were lost in the wilderness during regulation play as they failed to break a stout Pahang defense, and the match went into extra-time.
Pahang, who had yet to lift the title after 49 editions, were deadly off Ismail Abu counter-attacks during the first seven minutes of sudden-death play.
However, KL gained control of attack in the next half as Kelvinder Singh came back onto the pitch after taking a breather.
Kelvinder’s first pass to Nabil in the 80th minute went to waste as the latter failed to connect home.
However, a second reverse stick attempt from Kelvinder 82nd minute found Nabil facing an open goal-mouth and he had the easiest task of tapping the ball in end KL’s misery.
“It was our toughest match of the tournament but still, I’m proud of my players who kept their composure and never stopped playing hockey until they nailed the winner,” said KL coach I. Vickneswaran.
Meanwhile, Negri Sembilan were crowned Division Two champions when they edged Selangor 1-0.
The solitary goal by Azraie Azizan, off a penalty corner attempt in the 48th minute, was enough to promote Negri into Division One next year.
“Selangor are a good team and they have speedy forwards. We knew we had to stop them especially down the middle if we are to have a chance.
“And it worked. I am happy for players. We have worked very hard in the entire tournament to emerge champion.
“In doing so we prove that being in the second division doesn’t mean we have to give up hope. We fought all the way through and today's win is ample reward,” said coach Negri coach S. Chandran.
RESULTS -- Div 1, Final: Kuala Lumpur 1 Pahang 0; 3rd- 4th: Armed Forces 3 Terengganu 4.
Div 2, Final: Negri Sembilan 1 Selangor 0; 3rd-4th: Perlis 0 Kedah 3.
KL were lost in the wilderness during regulation play as they failed to break a stout Pahang defense, and the match went into extra-time.
Pahang, who had yet to lift the title after 49 editions, were deadly off Ismail Abu counter-attacks during the first seven minutes of sudden-death play.
However, KL gained control of attack in the next half as Kelvinder Singh came back onto the pitch after taking a breather.
Kelvinder’s first pass to Nabil in the 80th minute went to waste as the latter failed to connect home.
However, a second reverse stick attempt from Kelvinder 82nd minute found Nabil facing an open goal-mouth and he had the easiest task of tapping the ball in end KL’s misery.
“It was our toughest match of the tournament but still, I’m proud of my players who kept their composure and never stopped playing hockey until they nailed the winner,” said KL coach I. Vickneswaran.
Meanwhile, Negri Sembilan were crowned Division Two champions when they edged Selangor 1-0.
The solitary goal by Azraie Azizan, off a penalty corner attempt in the 48th minute, was enough to promote Negri into Division One next year.
“Selangor are a good team and they have speedy forwards. We knew we had to stop them especially down the middle if we are to have a chance.
“And it worked. I am happy for players. We have worked very hard in the entire tournament to emerge champion.
“In doing so we prove that being in the second division doesn’t mean we have to give up hope. We fought all the way through and today's win is ample reward,” said coach Negri coach S. Chandran.
RESULTS -- Div 1, Final: Kuala Lumpur 1 Pahang 0; 3rd- 4th: Armed Forces 3 Terengganu 4.
Div 2, Final: Negri Sembilan 1 Selangor 0; 3rd-4th: Perlis 0 Kedah 3.
Pahang in KL's path to glory
NATIONAL No 1 penalty corner flicker Amin Rahim blew a penalty stroke, but then delivered the winning goal to take defending champions Kuala Lumpur into the Razak Cup final at the Bukit Serindit Stadium in Malacca yesterday.
KL will now play Pahang, who beat Armed Forces 3-1 in the other semi-final, to decide who is crowned the 49th champion.
KL received a penalty stroke in the 28th minute when Terengganu were leading 1-0 off a Faisal Saari penalty corner in the 26th minute.
But Amin's weak attempt was saved by Terengganu goalkeeper Mohamed Hafizuddin.
However, the defending champions kept pressing and drew level in the 32nd minute through Nabil Fiqri, who broke free on the right and sent home a reverse stick attempt into goal.
Amin then made up for his penalty stroke blunder by converting a penalty corner in the 57th minute.
"I salute Terengganu as they made us work hard to play in the final. But we missed a handful of early sitters which made matters difficult," said KL coach I. Vickneswaran.
For Terengganu it was the end of a super tournament. "There is no shame in losing to the defending champions. We will now have to work harder for the bronze," said Terengganu team manager Saberi Salleh.
In Division Two, Selangor will play Negri Sembilan for the title, after they beat Kedah 3-1 and Perlis 3-2 respectively.
RESULTS -- S-finals, Div 1: Pahang 3 Armed Forces 1, Kuala Lumpur 2 Terengganu 1; 5th-6th: Perak 11 Penang 3; 7th-8th: Malacca 2 Johor 3.
Div 2: Negri Sembilan 3 Perlis 2, Selangor 3 Kedah 1; 5th-6th: Sabah 6 Kelantan 1; 7th-8th: Project 2017 1 Sarawak 0.
TODAY -- Div 1, Final: Kuala Lumpur v Pahang (6pm, Picth I); 3rd-4th: Armed Forces v Terengganu (5pm, Pitch II).
Div 2, Final: Negri Sembilan v Selangor (4pm, Pitch I); 3d-4th: Perlis v Kedah (3pm, Pitch II).
KL will now play Pahang, who beat Armed Forces 3-1 in the other semi-final, to decide who is crowned the 49th champion.
KL received a penalty stroke in the 28th minute when Terengganu were leading 1-0 off a Faisal Saari penalty corner in the 26th minute.
But Amin's weak attempt was saved by Terengganu goalkeeper Mohamed Hafizuddin.
However, the defending champions kept pressing and drew level in the 32nd minute through Nabil Fiqri, who broke free on the right and sent home a reverse stick attempt into goal.
Amin then made up for his penalty stroke blunder by converting a penalty corner in the 57th minute.
"I salute Terengganu as they made us work hard to play in the final. But we missed a handful of early sitters which made matters difficult," said KL coach I. Vickneswaran.
For Terengganu it was the end of a super tournament. "There is no shame in losing to the defending champions. We will now have to work harder for the bronze," said Terengganu team manager Saberi Salleh.
In Division Two, Selangor will play Negri Sembilan for the title, after they beat Kedah 3-1 and Perlis 3-2 respectively.
RESULTS -- S-finals, Div 1: Pahang 3 Armed Forces 1, Kuala Lumpur 2 Terengganu 1; 5th-6th: Perak 11 Penang 3; 7th-8th: Malacca 2 Johor 3.
Div 2: Negri Sembilan 3 Perlis 2, Selangor 3 Kedah 1; 5th-6th: Sabah 6 Kelantan 1; 7th-8th: Project 2017 1 Sarawak 0.
TODAY -- Div 1, Final: Kuala Lumpur v Pahang (6pm, Picth I); 3rd-4th: Armed Forces v Terengganu (5pm, Pitch II).
Div 2, Final: Negri Sembilan v Selangor (4pm, Pitch I); 3d-4th: Perlis v Kedah (3pm, Pitch II).
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