Negri Sembilan on a roll

SELANGOR and Malacca registered convincing wins
in the National Under-16 tournament yesterday and
are set for an explosive Group A encounter at the
KLHA Stadium today.
Pahang were at the receiving end of the
onslaught by Selangor who hammered the east
coast side 7-1 while Malacca were equally clinical
in their 3-1 win over Johor.
With defending champions Kuala Lumpur, who
defeated Police 9-0, also in Group A, Selangor and
Malacca play in a do-or-die when they clash today.
Selangor coach Wan Samsuri realises that even
after three wins, the match against Malacca could
well determine their fate in the tournament.
“It is a three way battle between Selangor, KL and
Malacca for the two semi-finals slots from our
group. That is why we can't afford to lose against
Malacca,” said Wan Samsuri.
“Having eight players from last year’s team helps
as we did not have more then a week’s preparation
for the tournament this time. And after the
relatively poor performance against Sabah in our
opening match, we have been improving.
“Our initial target is making the semis and from
there it will be an open affair as I do not see vast
difference in standards amongst the teams here.”
Selangor is represented mostly by players from
SMK Seksyen 11 Shah Alam and the Bukit Jalil
Sports School. And they showed why they were a
team to be feared as they completely demolished
Pahang.
MohamedNoor Khairul scored a hattrick with
goals in the 5th, 12th and 45th minutes with the
other goals ccoming from Haikal Zamri (13th),
Nazirul Mubin (24th, 44th) and Qamarul Afiq Azny
(56th). Pahang’s consolation was scored by Khairul
Amri Talha in the 32nd minute.
Malacca were in a class of their own in their
match against Johor and took the lead in the sixth
minute via skipper Firdaus Omar. But Johor were on
levels terms when Safeed Roslan found the back of
the net in the 24th minute.
Goals from Mohd Firdaus (39th) and Nur Alif Aiman
(53rd) gave Malacca the three points.

GROUP A
P W D L F A Pts
SELANGOR 3 3 0 0 14 3 9
K LUMPUR 2 2 0 0 14 0 6
MALACCA 2 2 0 0 7 2 6
JOHOR 3 0 2 1 4 6 2
PAHANG 3 0 1 2 4 13 1
POLICE 3 0 1 2 2 15 1
SABAH 2 0 0 2 1 7 0

GROUP B
P W D L F A Pts
N SEMBILAN 3 3 0 0 15 3 9
PERAK 3 3 0 0 14 3 9
KELANTAN 3 3 0 0 11 1 9
KEDAH 3 1 1 1 6 6 4
TERENGGANU 3 1 0 2 10 10 3
PENANG 3 0 1 2 4 11 1
PERLIS 3 0 0 3 1 10 0
SINGAPORE 3 0 0 3 2 19 0

RESULTS: Group A: Selangor 7 Pahang 1, Johor 1
Malacca 3, Kuala Lumpur 9 Police 0.
Group B: Singapore 1 Terengganu 7, Perak 2
Penang 0, Negri Sembilan 3 Perlis 0, Kedah 0
Kelantan 4.
TODAY: Group A -- Kuala Lumpur v Pahang (5pm),
Slangor v Malacca (6.30pm), Police v Sabah (8pm).
Group B: N. Sembilan v Kelantan (7.30am), Perak v
Perlis (Ministry of Education, 8.30am), Kedah v
Terengganu (9am), Penang v Singapore (3.30pm).
# All other matches at the KLHA stadium.