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Interview time.. BJSS coach Lokman Yahaya.
Interview time... Anderson coach Nizam Hashim.
ANDERSON Thunderbolts shocked Overall champions Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) Thunderbolts 2-1 in Division One of the Junior Hockey League (JHL) Friday.
It was a high-octane match, and the fitter Andersons won the day with beautiful penalty corner set-pieces.
The Anderson goals were scored by Azrai Aizad (22nd) and Aiman Shahmi (28th) both off penalty corners, while the BJSS penalty stoke was taken by Arif Sabron (24th).
Anderson coach Nizam Hashim said initially their target was to finish top-four, but after yesterday's performance he believes his charges can make the final.
"We will now push the boys harder after they showed today (yesterday) that they can overcome a tough side. BJSS are no pushovers, and now I believe we have a side which can play in the final," said Nizam.
BJSS coach Lokman Yahaya believes the defeat is just a hiccup in his plans.
"We played badly in the second and third quarter and paid the price. However, we still have six more matches to go and I am confident my players will bounce back strongly," said Lokman.
Last season, BJSS finished second in the League.
RESULTS -- Division One: BJSS Thunderbolts 1 Anderson Thunderbolts 2, SSTMI Thunderbolts 2 MSP-Thunderbolts 1, Olak-NurInsafi 5 BJSS Juniors 1.
Division Two: Group A: MSS Kedah 3 PHA-USM 1, MISCF-UFL Penang 1 MSNSSN Young Lions 6, USM Juniors 1 KPs Stingers 1.
Group B: MCKK 0 Anderson PHA 8, Felda Juniors 3 Terengganu Juniors 2; Group C: Bentara Luar 0 SSTMI Juniors 4, Johor Baru HA 1 Young Hurricanes 2, Datuk Taha 4 TBSS Tampin 3.
SATURDAY -- Women: Group A: SSTMI v CBN Hockey Club (SSTMI, 5pm), USM Juniors v MSN Kedah (Lela Pahlawan, 5pm), Sabah SS v KL Wipers (Likas, 4pm); Group B: Uniten-KPT v SMKGR (KPM, 5pm), Johor Juniors v USM (Batu Pahat, 5pm).
UNIKL Young Guns and Olak-NurInsafi have been clocking extra hours for their crucial Division One Junior Hockey League (JHL) match Friday at the Pandamaran Stadium in Klang.
Both teams have been training none stop for the last five days, and UniKL even took the trouble to train at the Pandamaran pitch Thursday to get familiar with the artificial surface.
"We needed the training session at Pandamaran to have a feel of the surface. It is an important weekend for us as we face two strong teams (BJSS Thunderbolts on Sunday) and honestly getting four points from these two matches will be the result we are looking for," said UniKL coach Arul Selvaraj.
"Our main problem to date is making use of the chances that we create and this is something we have been working hard at."
UniKL Young Guns have played three matches so far, losing once to PJCC Tigers (2-1) while registering two wins over BJSS Juniors (2-0) and SMK Bentara Luar ( 2-1).
As for Olak team manager Joseph de Silva is ready to welcome UniKL with a marching band display.
"We have had five days of solid training where we also used ice-baths to settle nerves as we are looking to beat UniKL at all cost," said de Silva.
Meanwhile the combination of there JHL Thunderbolts teams (BJSS, SSTMI and Temerloh) were beaten 5-1 by India in the final of the Asian Schools tournament in Bhopal. The Malaysian goal was scored by Akhimullah Anuar Esook.
In the semi-finals, Malaysia beat Singapore 12-1.
And over in Europe, coach K. Dharmaraj's women beat German club side Crefeld 7-0. The women, who earlier beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-0. They will play 11 more matches, to prepare for the Brussels World League Semifinals on June 21-July 2, and return at the end of the month.
FRIDAY -- Division One: PJCC Tigers v BJSS Juniors (PJCC Stadium, 6pm), Olak-NurInsafi v UniKL Young Guns (Pandamaran, 5pm).
Division Two: Group A -- MISCF-UFL penang v USM Juniors (Sungai Petani, 5pm), Penang HA-USM v Stingers (USM, 5pm), Young Lions v MSS Kedah (Syed Putra, 5pm).
Group B: Terengganu Juniors v Andersons (Batu Buruk, 5pm), MSSWPKL v Felda Juniors (KPM, 5pm); Group C: Young Hurricanes v SSTMI Juniors (Bukit Serindit, 5pm), TBSS Tampin v MBMB Warriors (Zaaba, 5pm), Johor HA v Bentara Luar (Taman Daya, 5pm).
THE Malaysian women's team (pic) will play in Brussels in their World League Semifinals, which is a qualifier for the 2018 World Cup in England.
Coach K. Dharmaraj's ladies will play the matches of their lives from June 21-July 2 in Group A together with Australia, New Zealand, Belgium and Spain.
In Group B are Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Spain, Malaysia.
Dharmaraj was short and sharp in his reply: "Death Group."
The coach and his ladies are in Germany now to play 13 matches in preparation for Brussels, where they won their first match against Bayer Leverkusen 2-0.
The goals were scored by Noraini Abdul Rashid (second minute) Siti Amarina (41st).
"Tough, but I have calculated this and informed the team a month ago that we will be playing in Brussels, barring any upsets in the last World League (Round Two) matches in Vancouver.
"This is because we are the lowest ranked team and Italy, even after losing to us in the semifinals, are in a 'better' group then us.
"I know how tough this group can be as I have been thinking about it for the last one month. It's really tough for team like mine to play in this group again giants like Australia, New Zealand and Spain. The closest rank team to us is Belgium as they are 14th but the advantage they have is as hosts.
"Sometimes is good to go for a tournament like this where nobody thinks you can go far and the pressure is not high with the feeling of wanting to create an upset.
"But our ranking (22nd) is in a such a position that we need to create upset to lift ourselves to a different level...
"As lowest rank team in Brussels, we can sit and complain, but I take it as a challenge to fight to give our best and hope to create an upset by qualifying for our first World Cup."
WOMEN’S Hockey World League Semi-Finals:
Brussels, Belgium (June 21 to July 2)
Group A: Netherlands (No 1), China (8th), South Korea (9th), Italy (16th), Scotland (17th).
Group B: Australia (4th), New Zealand (5th), Belgium (14th), Spain (10th), Malaysia (22nd).
Johannesburg, South Africa (July 8-23)
Group A: England (2nd), Germany (7th), Japan (11th), Ireland (15th), Poland (18th).
Group B: Argentina (3rd), USA (6th), South Africa (13th), India (12th), Chile (20th).
UNIVERSITI Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) did just enought to win three points when they edged Johor Juniors 2-1 in the only Division One match in the Junior Hockey League (JHL) yesterday.
The Big Boys in JHL BJSS Thunderbolts, SSTMI Thunderbolts and MSP Thunderbolts have yet to start their season as they have released players to compete in the ongoing Asian Schools tournament in India.
Yesterday, UniKL scored off Chairil Daniel Rusli in the 17th and 39th minutes, while the Johor goal was scored by Abinassh Singh in the 49th minute.
"We did just enough to win three points, and it is going to become harder after this as we will be playing against some of the established side in the JHL.
"I believe the players have the potential, but they still have some grey areas to improve if we want to finish among the top-four this season," said UniKL coach Arul Selvaraj.
UniKL have played three matches todate and won two while lost to PJCC Tigers 2-1.
Meanwhile, a Division Two Group C match was abandoned after the technical officials declared the Seremban II pitch unplayable.
"There was another tournament held at the pitch on Saturday and somehow a part of the pitch was torn and no longer safe to play on. The match will now be rescheduled," said JHL tournament director P. Kuganesan.
TBSS Tampin and Johor Baru HA were the affected teams.
Yesterday also saw the first red card of the season, when Datuk Taha player Izzuddin Rezuwan received it for rough play in the 56th minute.
RESULTS: Division One -- UniKL Young Guns 2 Johor Juniors 1.
Division Two: Group B -- MSSWPKL 3 MISCF-UFL 0, Terengganu Juniors 4MCKK 0, Felda Juniors 5 SSMS Resilient 6; Group C: TBSS Tampin v Johor Baru HA (match abandoned, pitch unplayable), Young Hurricanes 3 Datuk Taha 2, MBMB Warriors x Datuk Bentara Luar x.
PETALING JAYA City Council (PJCC) Tigers beat Univeriti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) Young Guns 2-1 in Division One of the Junior Hockey League Friday.
It was PJCC's first match of the season, and they got their goals off Mahathir Rathuwan (17th) and Nur Asyraf Ishak (33rd) while the UniKL goal was scored by Izzwan Arif (45th).
"We were poor and no excuses for the defeat as we did not play up to mark," conceded UniKL coach Arul Selvaraj.
"We created enough chances but did not convert them and this is one area that I was concerned about.
"As I said PJCC have experienced players, and that was the difference between the two teams."
RESULTS -- Division One: UniKL Young Guns 1 PJCC Tigers 2.
Division Two: Group A -- MSN Young Lions 1 USM 0, USM Juniors 4 MSS Kedah 2, MSSP Stinger 6 MISCF-UFL Penang 0; Group B: MCKK 2 SSMS Resilient 11, Felda Juniors 5 MISCF-UFL 1, Andersons 4 MSSWPKL 1.
Group C: Datuk Bentara Luar 1 TBSS Tampin 2, Datuk Taha 1 SSTMI Juniors 2, MBMB Warriors 9 Young Hurricanes 1.
SATURDAY: Women's Group A: MSN Kedah v CBN (Lela Pahlawan, 5pm), KLSS Wipers v USM Juniors (KLHA, 5pm); Group B: MSSPK v Zaaba (Gunung Rapat, 5pm), USM v Uniten (USM, 5pm).
SUNDAY: Division One -- UniKL Young Guns v Johor Juniors (KLHA, 5pm).
Division Two: Group B -- MSSWPKL v MISCF-UFL (KPM, 5pm), Terengganu Juniors v MCKK (Batu Buruk, 5pm), Felda Juniors v SSMS Resilient (UPSI, 5pm); Group C: TBSS Tampin v Johor Baru HA (Seremban II, 5pm), Young Hurricanes v Datuk Taha (Bukit Serindit, 4pm), MBMB Warriors v Datuk Bentara Luar (Bukit Serindit, 6pm).
