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Sapura goalkeeper Nasihin Nubli (right) has not featured for his team since the ping the quarter-finals of the TNB Cup.SAPURA will sorely miss their goalkeeper David James in the final of the TNB Cup as the Welshman has returned home to attend a job interview.
Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) strikers will now face former national goalkeeper Nasihin Nubli, and he is a little rusty for lack of action.
"Nasihin had other commitments after the last League match in Malacca and did not play in the knock-out stage. However, with James out of the picture, he will be back to keep goal," said Sapura coach I. Vickneswaran.
Nasihin is currently the head coach of the national senior women's team, and his commitment with them saw him skip the quarter-finals as well as the semi-finals.
"We are not worried as Nasihin is a good goalkeeper and he has kept himself active even after retirement. He knows what to do, even in penalty corner situations and should be an asset in the final," added Vickneswaran.
At the other end of the pitch will be Roslan Jamaluddin keeping goal for KLHC.
Roslan and Nasihin were brothers-in-arms in the national team a few years back and their rivalry for the No 1 spot saw them keep it for themselves for at least a decade.
"Roslan has kept himself busy with the national team (as No 2 to S. Kumar) in the Asian Games when he was called out of retirement. He has kept himself in shape, and his experience will be vital for us to keep our dream alive," said KLHC coach K. Dharmaraj.
Both goalkeepers will play crucial roles as Sapura have proven penalty corner flicker S. Kuhan, Korean flicker Lim Woo Geun, and Ahmad Kazamirul, while KLHC have Razie Rahim, who proved himself in the League but was a little rusty in the knockout stages.
"Razie has had poor performances in the knockout stage but I am confident he will give a better account of himself in the last match of the season," said Dharmaraj.
KELANTAN held Perak to a 3-3 draw in a Group B match and qualified for the semi-finals of the National Under-16 hockey tournament at the Kuala Lumpur HA Stadium yesterday.
Perak topped Group B and will play Malacca in the crossover semi-finals while Kelantan will square off against defending champions Kuala Lumpur.
Kuala Lumpur beat Malacca 5-0 to top Group A in the last match yesterday.
Perak took a 2-0 lead but released their grip on the match and allowed Kelantan to enter the semi-finals. On the sidelines were Negri Sembilan players who were hoping for Kelantan to lose so they could give their best against Kedah in the next match, but were disappointed.
The Perak goals were scored by Helmi Jaafar (20th, 21st, 39th), while Kelantan got their goals through Shafiq Ikwan (25th), Aminuddin Zain (32nd) and Zikrillah Alias (40th).
Meanwhile, Sabah ended their campaign by holding Pahang 2-2 in their Group A match. It was their fourth draw in six matches, and it was a good tournament for the former whipping boys.
Sabah lost 5-0 to Kuala Lumpur and were edged 2-1 by Selangor. Their draws were against Pahang (2-2), Johor (3-3), Malacca (2-2) and Police (2-2).
"I am happy with the performances though the results could have been better as in some matches we held the upper hand," said Sabah team manager Laila Shahbadur.
"And if there is one area that I would like to see some improvement it has to be the fixtures as there was not enough rest between matches," said Laila.
RESULTS -- Group A: Selangor 4 Johor 0, Pahang 2 Sabah 2, Kuala Lumpur 5 Malacca 0.
Group B: Perlis 2 Singapore 1, Perak 3 Kelantan 3, Negri Sembilan 3 Kedah 3, Penang 3 Terengganu 1.
TOMORROW (S-finals): Malacca v Perak ( 3.30pm); Kuala Lumpur v Kelantan (5.30pm). Both Matches at KLHA Stadium .
TERENGGANU upset the form-book when they beat Negri
Sembilan 4-2 in Group B of the National Under-16
hockey tournament in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
Terengganu now fancy their chances of playing
in the semi-finals as they have seven points from
five matches and have only Perlis and Penang to
play.
"It was a good win and it gives us a glimmer of
hope of making the last four," said team manager
Saberi Salleh.
"As long as we are in with a chance we will give
our very best. Actually this is more of a team for
the future as 15 players are eligible to play in
the Under-14 tournament later this year."
In another Group B match, Kelantan beat
Singapore 3-0. They have 13 points from five
matches and play Perak and Penang to complete their
fixtures.
The Kelantan goals were scored by Aminuddin Zain
(33rd), Irwan Ismail (58th) and Zulfikar Mohamed
(60th).
Negri took the lead in the 13th minute through
Ikwan Ishak, but their joy was short-lived as they
conceded two goals in as many minutes.
Sufi Ismat Rohor Amin put Terengganu level in
the 16th minute, and in the 18th minute he gave
them the lead.
However, Negri drew level in the 30th minute when
Norhafizi Aris converted a penalty corner.
Terengganu regained the lead in the 51st minute
via a penalty corner through Shazwi Rani.
And despite Terengganu playing with nine players
at one stage when Luqman Nul Hakim and Syazuwan
Firdaus were yellow carded, Negri could not
capitalize on the situation.
Asrin Hafizuddin sealed the match for Terengganu
in the 66th minute.
Results: Group A -- Pahang 4 Police 1, Kuala
Lumpur 5 Johor 0, Malacca 0 Sabah 0.
Group B: Negri Sembilan 2 Terengganu 4, Kelantan
3 Singapore 0, Perlis 0 Penang 3, Perak 3 Kedah 1.
TODAY: Group A -- Malacca v Police (5pm),Kuala
Lumpur v Selangor (6.30pm),Johor v Sabah (Ministry
of Education, 6.30pm).
Group B -- Kelantan v Penang (7.30am),Terengganu
v Perlis (9am),Kedah v Singapore (Ministry of
Education, 10am), Perak v Negri Sembilan (3.30pm).
GROUP A
P W D L F A Pts
K LUMPUR 4 4 0 0 25 0 12
MALACCA 4 3 1 0 9 3 10
SELANGOR 4 3 0 1 15 5 9
PAHANG 5 1 1 3 8 20 4
POLICE 5 0 2 3 5 21 2
SABAH 4 0 2 2 3 9 2
JOHOR 4 0 2 2 4 11 2
GROUP B
P W D L F A Pts
PERAK 5 5 0 0 25 4 15
KELANTAN 5 4 1 0 15 2 13
NEGRI 5 3 1 1 18 8 10
TERENGGANU5 2 1 2 16 14 7
KEDAH 5 1 2 29 11 5
PENANG 5 1 1 3 7 12 4
SINGAPORE 5 1 0 4 3 22 3
PERLIS 5 0 0 5 1 21 0
NEGRI Sembilan wasted a golden opportunity to close in on a semi-final berth when they were held 1-1 by Kelantan in a National Under-16 Group B match at the Kuala Lumpur HA Stadium yesterday.
A penalty stroke miss by Norhafizi Aris put paid to Negri's hopes of a win.
Negri coach Maidin Mohamad knows that it will now be tough for them to make the last four as they have matches against Terengganu, Perak and Kedah over the next three days.
"We really should have won this match and have now made it more difficult for ourselves," said Maidin.
Kelantan went ahead in the 39th minute through Shafiq Ikhwan who scrambled the ball over the line when the Negri keeper failed to clear.
In the 53rd minute Negri were presented with a golden chance to equalise when they were awarded a penalty stroke, but Norhafizi sent his attempt wide.
However, Negri were not to be denied their point when Raziq Rizlan scored from a penalty corner in the 59th minute.
RESULTS -- Group A: Kuala Lumpur 6 Pahang 0, Selangor 1 Malacca 2, Police 2 Sabah 2.
Group B: Negri Sembilan 1 Kelantan 1, Perak 8 Perlis 0, Kedah 2 Terengganu 2, Penang 0 Singapore 1.
TODAY -- Group A: Pahang v Police (Ministry of Education, 8.30am), Kuala Lumpur v Johor (9am), Malacca v Sabah (Ministry of Education, 9am).
Group B: Negri Sembilan v Terengganu (3.30pm), Kelantan v Singapore (5pm), Perlis v Penang (6.30pm), Perak v Kedah (Ministry of Education, 6.30pm).
KUALA Lumpur Hockey Club (LKHC) are the hot favourites to lift the TNB Cup when they square off against Sapura in the final on Saturday.
KLHC, who have seven national players while the rest are former internationals and Junior World Cup players, have depth in every department and their team-work is next to none.
"We are deadly as a unit, and that is what took us into the final. YNS have many good foreign players, but they relied more on individual skills," said KLHC coach K. Dharmaraj.
And his take on Sapura?
"Sapura are a good mix of seniors and juniors and they know how to hold the match and will be deadly. We did beat them twice in the league (6-2, 3-0), and will build on that," said Dharmaraj.
Pakistan import Rehan Butt single handedly placed Sapura in the final by scoring both the goals in their 2-0 win against Tenaga in the second leg.
"My tally is now eight, but the two which I scored in the semi-finals are the most importan and I hope to deliver again in the final," said Rehan.
Thirty-year-old Rehan and Sohail Abbas scored for Pakistan in the final of the Asian Games in China to deny Malaysia a gold medal.
On the MHL overall, the Pakistan slalwart said: "I have seen some good talent in the MHL, and with Malaysia reaching the final of the Asian Games, I see a better future for this country in the near future.
"There is a great change in the mindset of Malaysian players from a few years back, that is for sure," said Rehan who is in the London Olympics training squad.
He will be back in Malaysia for the Azlan Shah Cup, which has a great following in Pakistan.
"The Azlan Shah Cup has a huge following back home and we will surely bring the best team as we would like to add another silverware to our colelction.
"And if I am not called-up to play in Europe (like last year) I will surely want to come back to Malaysia and play in the MHL," said Rehan.
Sapura goalkeeper Nasihin Nubli (right) has not featured for his team since the ping the quarter-finals of the TNB Cup.
