Malaysia o China 3

Malaysia's Raja Norsharina Raja Shabuddin (left) tries to get to the ball before Mengrong Wu of China in the Women’s Asia Cup. Malaysia lost the match 3-0.

THE STAR..

KUALA LUMPUR: Wang Menyu starred for defending champions China in their 3-0 win over Malaysia in the opening Group A match of the Women’s Asia Cup at the National Hockey Stadium Saturday night.
Menyu was on target from the penalty corner in the 15th minute.
She added the second, also from a penalty corner, in the 50th minute. Liang Meiyu completed the scoring with a field goal in the 68th minute.
The Malaysians’ strategy was to absorb the Chinese attack and then launch fast counter-attacks.
Malaysian coach Mohamed Nasihin Nubli said their plan worked, especially in the first half.
“The scoreline was 1-0 at half time and that was good for us. We had a few good counter attacks after the break but our finishing was poor. China capitalised on our open play and scored twice late in the second half.
“It was a good opening match for the team. We must now focus on the game against Hong Kong tomorrow.
“We need to win big and set us up for the final group match against India,” added Nasihin.
Earlier in Group B, South Korea outclassed Kazakhstan 12-1.
Kim Da-rae was the hero for the Koreans, who have already secured their World Cup place. She contributed four field goals in the 36th, 38th, 39th and 41st minutes. Cheon Seul-ki notched a hat-trick with goals in the 25th, 49th and 53rd minutes.
Kim Jong-eun (19th), Han Hye-young (35th), Cheon Eun-bi (45th) and Park Mi-hyun (52nd and 55th) were the other scorers.
Imangaliyena Gulnara netted the Kazakhs’ sole goal from a penalty corner in the 63rd minute.

Noor Faeez gets second life...

 PIC: MADZLI IKMAR

FORMER National juniors skipper Noor Faeez Ibrahim was  given a second hockey life when chief coach Paul Revington  named him in the training squad for three tournaments and   a Tour this year.
    Noor Faeez skippered the Junior Asia Cup side which won  gold in Malacca and took Malaysia into the New Delhi Junior  World Cup, but his attitude as well as form saw him being  booted out of camp in May.
   He missed the chance to play in the World League semi- finals and also the Asia Cup, and will now have claw back into  the national senior side.
    “I have noticed some changes in his attitude since he was  dropped from the training pool, and with the assurance of  one of our coaches that Noor Faeez can be turned into a  valuable player, we included him back into the training pool  for three tournaments and a Tour until December 31,” said  Revington.
   The 22-year-old Noor Faeez played a pivotal role to take  Malaysia to the Junior World Cup when he was under the care  of juniors coach K. Dharmaraj.
   The other surprise inclusion was Madzli Ikmar, 33, who  retired after the Dublin Olympic Qualifier in March last  year.
    “Madzli has over 300 caps and has shown good discipline  and form playing for his state and club and he has also agree  to come out of retirement and join the training pool,” said  Revington.
    The first assignment will be the Perth Super Series in Oct 17- 20, followed by the Asian Champions Trophy in Kakamigahara, Japan, on Nov 1-10.
   Then there is a Tour to South Korea on Nov 20-Dec 3, and  ends with the Myanmar Sea Games on Dec 11-22.
    Also recalled was S. Selvaraju, 28, and Engku Malek, 29,  who were team-mates in the 2005 Junior World Cup in  Rotterdam -- probably for the Sea Games gold medal quest.

Coach Nasihin Nubli with his angels...

RM500,000 boost for Malaysian women..

 PIC: Semai Ria Chief Executive Officer Lim Ee Keong (second from right) and MHC deputy president Noora Ashikin.


THE Malaysian women’s hockey team received a  RM500,000 boost yesterday from construction development  company Semai Ria ahead of the Asia Cup challenge starting  on Saturday.
    The tournament, to be played at the National Hockey  Stadium in Bukit Jalil, also offers the champion a berth to the  Women’s World Cup next year in the Netherlands.
   Present at hand to receive the cheque was Malaysian  Hockey Confederation (MHC) deputy president Raja Puan Sri  Datuk Noora Ashikin Raja Abdullah.
   “We will be hosting the Asia Cup (seniors) for the first time,  and that itself is a milestone for women’s hockey in the  country. The team used to be a whipping side many years  ago, but today, we can hold our heads high as we have even  made the grade to play in the Asian Champions Trophy this  year,” said Noora Ashikin.
    Eight teams will feature in the tournament and Malaysia  are in Group A with defending champions China, India and  Hong Kong.
    Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Kazakhstan are in Group  B.
    China and South Korea have qualified for the World Cup via  the Women’s World League.
    “We have set a target of playing in the semi-finals of the  Asia Cup, and I believe it is achievable after all the hard work  put in by the players and coaching staff,” said Noora  Ashikin.
    Semai Ria Chief Executive Officer Lim Ee Keong said: “We  hope that our sponsorship will spur the women’s hockey  team to perform beyond their capabilities. The men have  qualified for the World Cup, and We hope the women will  emulate the men as well.”
    However, Malaysia will find the going tough in the Eight  Edition of the Asia Cup as Korea have won three titles in 1985,  1993 and 1990; China twice 1989 and 2009; while India won  it in 2004 and Japan in 2007.
   The best placing for Malaysia was third in 1985.

Perak's 21-yer wait is over

The Perak team celebrate after winning the 51st edition of the Razak Cup after beating Kuala Lumpur 3-0 in the final in Kuantan yesterday. Pic by Luqman Hakim Zubir

 PERAK won the Razak Cup after 21 years at Wisma Belia Hockey Stadium in Kuantan yesterday.
    Led by international Azlan Misron, Perak notched their seventh Cup title by overcoming favourites Kuala Lumpur 3-0 in the final.
    KL, despite dominating play, were toothless in attack and failed to convert five penalty corner set-pieces in the absence of international Razie Rahim and Amin Rahim.
   Muhd Najib Abu Hassan netted the opening goal in the 12th minute before international Hafifi Hafiz Hanafi added a second off a penalty corner set-piece in the 54th.
  A desperate KL attacked in numbers late in the second half and paid dearly for leaving their back-line unattended. Mohd Noor Khairul Azrain made it three for Perak five minutes from time.
   Perak coach Kulwant Singh said his team played their hearts out to bring back the trophy to the state after 21 years.
   "My team, comprising a mix of seniors and juniors, played to instructions. Frankly, we did not have centralised training as some players were with the national team for the Asia Cup," said Kulwant yesterday.
   KL coach K. Rajan said his team did everything right except score.
   "We also did not have a flicker for penalty corners. We should not have conceded the first goal and the move to attack in the second half failed to pay off," said Rajan.
    Former champions Malacca recorded a comprehensive 4-1 win over Negri Sembilan for third place.
    In the Division Two final, former international Muhd Noor Faez Ibrahim led Selangor to an impressive 3-1 win over Armed Forces to earn promotion to the main tier division next season.
  Faridzul Afiq Mohd (10th) and Muhd Amerullah Aziz (34th) gave Selangor a 2-0 lead at half-time before Noor Faez added a third 10 minutes before the final hooter. It was Noor Faez's 11th goal in the competition.
   Tuan Abdul Walid Tuan Aziz replied for Forces off a penalty corner set-piece in the 46th minute.
   "We have finally made it to Division One after five years. Everyone played to instructions," said Selangor coach S. Sivabalan.
   ROLL OF HONOUR -- Division One: 1 Perak, 2 Kuala Lumpur, 3 Malacca, 4 Negri Sembilan.
   Fairplay: Penang; Most Valuable Player: Muhd Shukri Abdul Mutalib (Per); Best Player of Final: Hafifi Hafiz Hanafi (Per); Top scorers: Mohd Nor Hafiq Abdul Ghaffar (Joh), Ahmad Kazamirul Nasaruddin (Pah), Izwan Firdaus Tajuddin (Pen) -- seven goals
   Division Two: 1 Selangor, 2 Armed Forces, 3 Police, 4 Perlis.
   Fairplay: Armed Forces; Most Valuable Player: Kevinder Singh (Police); Best goalkeeper: Adriel Ang (Sab); Best of Final: Saiful Azhar Mohd Affandi (Sel); Top scorer: Muhd Noor Faeez Ibrahim (Sel) -- 11 goals.