KLHC sweat for slim advantage

LEAGUE champions Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) almost paid the price for a scrappy start when they could only beat Yayasan Negri Sembilan (YNS) 2-1 in the first leg semi-final of the TNB Cup at the Tun Razak Stadium yesterday.
In the other semi-finals, Charity Shield holders Tenaga Nasional drew 2-2 with Sapura in a highly charged match.
KLHC, who had beaten YNS 6-3 and 7-2 in the League, were a jaded side in the semi-finals, and only started playing after Waqas Sharif, a Pakistan import, scored in the 14th minute.
YNS could have increased the lead a few minutes later when Deepak Thakur and Waqas had only KLHC goalkeeper Khairulnizam Ibrahim to beat, but they failed to click and the ball rolled out tamely.
Former national player Ismail Abu saved the blushes for KLHC when he levelled the score off a field attempt in the 27th minute, and then scored the winner in the 43rd minute.
However, a one-goal cushion is no advantage to KLHC, when both the teams square off again in the return leg on Sunday.
YNS played without former India international Prabhjot Singh, who returned home as his wife is due to deliver a baby, and he is not expected to return for the second leg as well.
"I won't call it a slow start, just that we made too many mistakes in midfield and almost paid the price.
"YNS have shown that they are capable of raising their game, and a one-goal cushion is not enough, but still, we are in the lead," said KLHC coach K. Dharmaraj.
YNS coach Hasnizam Ah Sim said they are still in the running, but should have sealed the match yesterday.
"It was a good start, but a bad finish as my players were eager to score the equaliser in the last 10 minutes of the match and almost let in the third goal.
"However, we still have a fighting chance to play in the final," said Hasnizam.
Meanwhile, Tenaga took their chances well, while Sapura missed numerous sitters in a highly entertaining match.
Faizal Saari got his chance, after national No 1 penalty corner flicker Amin Rahim was sidelined by injury, to hand Tenaga a well deserved lead off a penalty corner attempt in the 13th minute.
Sapura practically camped in Tenaga's circle after that, but brilliant saves from goalkeeper S. Kumar denied them the equaliser.
And in the 54th minute, Faiz Helmi nailed the second goal for Tenaga, but Azreen Rizal pulled one back in the 64th minute for Sapura.
And in the 67th minute, Rodhanizam Radzi scored off a penalty corner rebound to level the score at 2-2, and Tenaga will have to bring out another super show to deny Sapura a spot in the final in the return leg tomorrow.
RESULTS -- Semi-finals (first leg): Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club 2 Yayasan Negri Sembilan 1, Sapura 2 Tenaga Nasional 2.
TOMORROW: Tenaga Nasional v Sapura (Tun Razak Stadium, 6pm), Yayasan Negri Sembilan v Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (Tun Razak Stadium, 8pm).