Women lose 3-0 in opener

27/04/08

The WorldHockey Olympic Qualifier in Victoria started smoothly for Korea with a clean win over Uruguay (10-0), while Ireland fought hard before taking the better over Malaysia (3-0) and Italy wrestled the victory from Canada (1-2).
The competition is played at the University of Victoria, in an excellent facility diligently prepared for the event. Day 1 was played in fine conditions that were a welcome change from the cold weather earlier in the week.
Game 1 – Korea v. Uruguay: 10-0 (half-time: 5-0)
The first game of the day pitted top ranked Korea against Uruguay, who arrived late in Canada after an eventful and delayed trip. The South Americans absorbed well the initial pressure from the Koreans, even mounting some good attacks of their own, but Korea took the lead after ten minutes of play with two goals in two minutes, first by Seon Ok LEE with a high flick left of the keeper on the second Korean penalty-corner, then by Mi Hyun PARK with a powerful hit from the top of the circle.
The game settled in the Uruguayan half, with Korea displaying their superior speed and individual skills, but they were untidy in their passing and finish, and wasted a number of chances before adding three goals to reach half-time with a comfortable lead (5-0).
Korea kept besieging the Uruguayan circle in the second half, creating multiple opportunities but a few shots were off target before Seul Ki CHEON opened the floodgate with a superb penalty-corner in the top right corner, immediately followed by a field goal by Jin Kyoung KIM and an opportunistic goal by Mi Hyun PARK to complete her hat-trick.
Korea were never in danger in this game and finished with a tally of 10 goals, but they might be unhappy with some of their untidy plays in the first half, and with some on their wasted opportunities. Uruguay played with a lot of determination but were no match for the experienced Koreans.
Game 2 – Italy v. Canada: 2-1 (half-time: 0:0)
The next game was more balanced with two teams very close in the world rankings, 19th for Italy and 23rd for Canada. The Canadian women were eager to play in front of their home crowd, a rare opportunity for them, and immediately grasped control of the proceedings. They created some dangerous situations in front of the Italian goal after dynamic runs from Tiffany MICHAKUK, but could not capitalize on their chances, including on a couple of penalty-corners. The play progressively became more balanced and Sarah FORBES in the Canadian goal was called twice into action on dangerous shots from the top of the circle.
The game was flowing back and forth, entertaining the large crowd, but settled in the midfield. Italy had a late push in the period, earning a penalty-corner, but half-time was reached without goal.
Canada started the second half with a bang, scoring on a penalty-corner in the second minute of play when Christine DePAPE deflected in goal the initial shot by Andrea RUSHTON. Italy immediately reacted and tied the score, despite been reduced to ten players, when Jasbeer SINGH pounced on a loose ball in the circle and push it in goal. With neither team satisfied with a tie, the game opened up and Italy forced a penalty-corner to take the lead with a direct shot by Chiara TIDDI.
Canada pushed desperately in the final minutes to score an equalizer, but Italy sustained the pressure and earned the gain of a game that could have gone either way.
Game 3 – Malaysia v. Ireland: 0-3 (half-time: 0-2)
Ireland set the initial pace of the game and earned an early penalty-corner, saved by Malaysian keeper Ernawati MAHMUD with a stunning stick save. They could have again opened the scoring a few minutes later, but Lisa JACOB’s shot from close range hit the crossbar. Ireland were finally rewarded on their forth penalty-corner when Clare PARKHILL’s direct hit was deflected in goal off the keeper’s pad.
Despite having most of the ball possession, Ireland were prevented from developing their game by a well organized Malaysian team occupying efficiently the midfield. It took another penalty-corner for Ireland to make a break, Eimear CREGAN pushing over the line a ball originally stopped by Ernawati MAHMUD.
Ireland kept dominating the proceedings in the second half, and immediately increased the gap with a superb deflection by Cathy McKEAN over the diving keeper. They created many more opportunities in the half, but somehow the score stayed at 3-0.
The result of this game was never in doubt, with Malaysia only having one scoring opportunity late in the match, but Ireland had to fight hard for their win and won’t be happy with their numerous missed chances.
The WorldHockey Olympic Qualifier continues tomorrow in Victoria when Uruguay meet Italy, Ireland take on host Canada, and Malaysia conclude the day against Korea.
WorldHockey Olympic Qualifier, Women – Victoria, CanadaResults day 1: Saturday 26 April 2008
Korea - Uruguay 10:0 (5:0) 9mn Seon Ok LEE (PC) 1:011mn Mi Hyun PARK (FG) 2:021mn Sung Hee GIM (FG) 3:029mn Jong Eun KIM (PC) 4:033mn Mi Hyun PARK (FG) 5:041mn Seul Ki CHEON (PC) 6:042mn Jin Kyoung KIM (FG) 7:0 48mn Mi Hyun PARK (FG) 8:057mn Mi Young EOM (FG) 9:063mn Seul Ki CHEON (PC) 10:0
Italy - Canada 2-1 (0:0)37mn Christine DePAPE (PC) 0:150mn Jasbeer SINGH (FG) 1:163mn Chiara TIDDI (PC) 2:1
Malaysia - Ireland 0:3 (0:2)21mn Clare PARKHILL (PC) 0:130mn Eimear CREGAN (PC) 0:240mn Cathy McKEAN (FG) 0:3

Kuala Lumpur Boys MSSM champs

26/04/08

KUALA Lumpur snatched the Malaysian Schools Sports Council (MSSM) Boys’ Under-18 hockey title from the jaws of a fighting Selangor after a dramatic penalty conversion just as the final hooter blew.
KL and Selangor were tied 2-2, and there was just a few seconds remaining in the match when KL made a full press and were rewarded with a penalty stroke.
Substitute Yusof Mat Nor, who only played five minutes in the final, turned hero when he cooly converted the penalty stroke to hand hosts KL the title.
Selangor were the better team in the first half, and took the lead off Syamil Zulkifli in a ninth minute penalty corner, but KL found the equaliser in the 22nd minute off a Saiful Nizam penalty corner.
There were plenty of excitement in the match, and Se langor again took the lead when Shaharul Dennis scored a field goal.
But the goal failed to crack KL, who came back for the second time to draw level at 2-2 in the 54th minute. This time, it was a field attempt from Syamim Yusof which sailed over the goalkeeper and dipped into the goal-mouth.
With seconds remaining in the match, the hosts took the lead for the first time in the match, and it was good enough to hand them the title.
In the Girls’ Under-18 final, Penang beat Perak 2-1 for the crown. The Penang scorers were Irnie Yanty (21st) and Zuraidah Yahya (31st). Juita Abdul Razak scored for Perak in the 55th minute.
"It was a superb comeback from my boys, and I never doubted their ability to upset Selangor as they played as a team, and never gave up.
"As the hosts, we had a point to prove, and the boys delivered by coming back after trailing in both the semi-finals and finals," said KL coach Lokman Yahaya.
RESULTS -- Boys’ Under-18 Final: Kuala Lumpur 3 Selangor 2; Third-Fourth: Penang 6 Pahang 0.
Girls’ Under-18 Final: Penang 2 Perak 1; Third-Fourth: Kedah 1 Terengganu 6.

ends/

No surprises expected in semis

28/08/2003

THE Malaysia Hockey League quarter-finals begin this weekend and it looks
like the top four teams in the League should make the semi-finals.
League champions Tenaga Nasional have the easiest outing. They take on
eighth-placed Pahang Sports Council tomorrow and a win looks imminent. The
return leg on Sunday should be a formality.
The only team from the bottom half of the table likely to put on a fight
is is Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN).
BSN meet Ernst & Young and the clash is expected to be the match of the
weekend as there is a hint of revenge involved. BSN beat Ernst & Young 1-0
for the Overall title last season, but this year, only one of the two will
advance to the last four.
In the League, BSN and Ernst & Young drew 1-1, so little separates the
two teams even though one finished third and the other sixth in the League
standings.
Tenaga are serious about winning the Overall title this year as they
have always faltered at this stage. To make sure they reach the final this
year, they went to Malacca looking for a fresh angle.
Sapura are also expected to have an easy time against Royal Malay
Regiment.
But Maybank will have to play their best against Royal Malaysian Customs
because the newcomers have some wily veterans in their side, and are
dangerous in the second half.
FIXTURES - Tomorrow (1st leg): Pahang SC v Tenaga Nasional (Tun Razak
Stadium, 6pm); Bank Simpanan Nasional v Ernst & Young (Tun Razak Stadium,
8pm); Sapura v Royal Malay Regiment (KL Stadium, 8pm); Royal Malaysian
Customs v Maybank (Pandamaran Stadium, 5.15pm).
Sunday (2nd leg): Maybank v Royal Malaysian Customs (Tun Razak Stadium,
6pm); Royal Malay Regiment v Sapura (Tun Razak Stadium, 8pm); Tenaga
Nasional v Pahang SC (KL Stadium, 8pm); Ernst & Young v Bank Simpanan
Nasional (KL Stadium, 8pm).
(END)

FIH outlaws changing of sticks

27/08/2003

THE International Hockey Federation (FIH) dealt Malaysia a severe blow
when its Executive Board outlawed the changing of sticks during penalty
corners and strokes effective Jan 1, 2004.
Malaysian skipper S. Kuhan has been steadily improving his penalty
corner conversion rate by using a curved stick during penalty corners but
the FIH has killed what could have been a great advantage for Malaysia in
the Madrid Olympic Qualifiers in March next year.
Kuhan, clearly disappointed with the FIH decision when met yesterday,
could only shake his head in disbelief when told of the new ruling.
"Just when things started looking better for me during penalty corners,
such a ruling had to be passed by the FIH. I have no choice but to start
practicing with my playing stick after the Asia Cup next month," said
Kuhan.
The national skipper scored six penalty corner goals during the recent
Champions Challenge - by making full use of his reserve hockey stick which
was lighter and had a slight curve which gave maximum power during flicks
Two other penalty corner specialists also affected are Pakistan's Sohail
Abbas and German Florian Kunz.
Both the players change their sticks during penalty corners and have
been scoring regularly in tournaments.
Malaysian Hockey Federation secretary S. Satgunam, who is aware of the
new ruling, could not shed light on it. But the MHF has decided to do away
with the `three man' ruling which was experimented with during the
Malaysia Hockey League.
"Since there was no mention about the three man ruling (which only
allowed eight players to remain in their own half and defend at all times)
we will only enforce it for the duration of the MHL, but do away with it
for the Razak Cup," said Satgunam.
It was also reported on the FIH website that: "The FIH Executive Board
has recommended that further study be undertaken to examine the
technological feasibility of the use of a third, video umpire to assist
with major umpiring decisions."
FIH's Umpiring Committee began experimenting with the technology since
the Women's World Cup in November 2002 and experimenting continued at the
Azlan Shah Cup in January 2003. Limitations have been encountered in the
level of assistance that hockey's current video technology is able to
provide.
(END)

Turfs for TBSS and SMK Putri

24/08/2004

NEGRI Sembilan will host the Malaysia Games next year and two schools in
the State are already reaping the benefits.
The Seremban Municipal Council (SMC) has decided to re-turf the pitches
at the Seremban II Hockey Stadium and the old artificial turf will be sent
to SMK Puteri in Seremban and Tunku Besar Secondary School (TBSS) in
Tampin.
Negri Sembilan HA secretary Anthony Dass said the turf will be laid once
the schools prepare their pitches.
"The SMC has agreed to send the old turf (which are still in very good
condition) to SMK Puteri and TBSS. Once the schools have their pitches
ready they will get the turf," said Dass.
Tampin District HA, the most active affiliate of the Negri Sembilan HA,
requested for the turf to revive the game in what was once the bastion of
hockey in Negri.
"We are very grateful to the Menteri Besar Tan Sri Isa Abdul Samad,
deputy president of the NSHA Datuk Abdullah Sani, Negri State Education
Department, the Seremban Municipal Council and the principal of the Tunku
Besar Secondary School, without whose help, this dream could not have been
realised," said Tampin District HA president Datuk Dr R.L. Annandan.
TBSS used to produce national players with the most famous ones being N.
Palanisamy and Dr Bryan Jayhan Siva. The most recent contribution from the
school is national goalkeeper S. Kumar.
But after the retirement of hockey master V. Sivapathasundram, hockey
took a backseat at the school and Datuk Taha of Gemencheh, under Mohamed
Roslan, started producing national players.
Suhaimi Ibrahim, Nor Azlan Rahim and Fairuz Affendy have become
household names in sleepy Gemencheh.
Hockey is almost non-existent at two former great schools in Seremban
who were synonymous with producing great hockey players - King George V
and St Paul's Institution, and the pitch in Tampin is a timely injection.
But there remains a problem: TBSS does not have a qualified hockey coach
presently. "We have requested a hockey coach from the Negri Education
Department with the help of Abdullah Sani, and hopefully, he will arrive
before the pitch is laid at the school," said Annandan.
(END)