TENAGA Nasional threw away the lead to go down 2-1 to Maybank in the TNB Cup First Leg quarter-finals at a haze enveloped National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.
In the other quarters, Sapura beat Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) 3-0 -- and it looks like the second leg is also going to be uphill for the University side.
The API reading for Bukit Jalil was 276, when Azril Misron gave Tenaga a fifth minute lead off a field attempt.
But inexperience was Tenaga's downfall, as they allowed Maybank into the match and goals from Hafifi Hafiz in the 46th, and India import B. Deepanshu in the 59th gave Maybank a slight edge going into the return leg.
For the record, it was Deepanshu's first goal of the season.
As for Sapura, Pakistan's Mumammad Imran starred in their show with fifth and seventh minute penalty corner goals, while the other goal was scored by Norsyafiq Sumantri (25th).
Maybank coach S. Vellapan was elated with the knock-out win, after losing 2-1 twice to Tenaga in the League.
"We went down twice in the League to Tenaga, and so I see this win as a good improvement and goin into the return leg, I believe my players will again perform and take us into the semis," said Vellapan.
League champions Terengganu Hockey Team and runners-up Kuala Lumpur Hockey Team are seeded into the semi-finals in this six-team tournament.
Tenaga coach Nor Saiful Zaini was peeved with his charges, as he felt that eventhough they are young, they should have improved after playing 10 matches in the MHL Premier Division.
"First of all, I am not looking for excuses in this defeat. I'm simply not happy with the way my charges played, as after 10 matches in the League, the eight Project 2016 players should have showed improvement in the knock-out, but they were a let-down.
"There Project boys were also not available to train with us as they had their own training programme leading to the Junior Asia Cup, and this, to a certain aspect, disrupted my preparations of the team.
"They commuted between Tenaga and Project training and looked a little jaded and tired. However, having said that, Tenaga fully support the system, and understand that the Project boys had to attend training with their coach (Arul Selvaraj)," said Nor Saiful.
RESULTS: Quarter-finals First Leg: Tenaga Nasional 1 Maybank 2; Sapura 3 Universiti Kuala Lumpur 0.
TOMORROW: Quarter-finals Second Leg -- Universiti Kuala Lumpur v Sapura (Bukit Jalil Pitch II, 6pm); Maybank v Tenaga Nasional (Bukit Jalil Pitch II, 8pm).
Friday, September 11, 2015
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Malaysia: 3-1 to 9-1 in 35 minutes
THE Malaysian women's junior team failed to qualify for the semi-finals of the Junior Asia Cup, but there was good news for their senior counterparts yesterday.
On a day when the juniors fell 9-1 to India at the Wujin Stadium in Changzhou, China, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) awarded the Women's World League Round Two to Malaysia.
The tournament will be held in 2017, and will serve as a qualifier for the 2018 World Cup.
However, hosts Malaysia have yet to qualify for the World Cup, and the World League Round Two will be a difficult tournament.
Yesterday, India were leading 3-0 but Malaysia's Wan Norfaiezah scored at the brink of half-time to inject some hope of an upset.
But three quick goals from India upon restart killed any hope of playing in their first ever Junior Asia Cup semi-finals.
Only three teams qualify for the Junior World Cup, and Malaysia will now play in the fifth-eight classification matches.
On a day when the juniors fell 9-1 to India at the Wujin Stadium in Changzhou, China, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) awarded the Women's World League Round Two to Malaysia.
The tournament will be held in 2017, and will serve as a qualifier for the 2018 World Cup.
However, hosts Malaysia have yet to qualify for the World Cup, and the World League Round Two will be a difficult tournament.
Yesterday, India were leading 3-0 but Malaysia's Wan Norfaiezah scored at the brink of half-time to inject some hope of an upset.
But three quick goals from India upon restart killed any hope of playing in their first ever Junior Asia Cup semi-finals.
Only three teams qualify for the Junior World Cup, and Malaysia will now play in the fifth-eight classification matches.
No clear favourites Friday
THE Malaysia Hockey League TNB Cup quarter-finals will start without favourites Friday, as all four teams are of the same standard.
Premier Division League champions Terengganu Hockey Team and runners-up Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club are seeded into the semi-finals, leaving the other four to battle for two remaining slots.
The first quarters will be between Tenaga Nasional and Maybank, followed by Sapura and Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL).
In the two round league, Tenaga won both with 2-1 scores, while Sapura edged UniKL 2-1 and 3-2.
Tenaga, title sponsors, are the only team to have field an all-local outfit.
“We lost to TNB 2-1 in both home-and-away matches and on paper they certainly have the psychological edge over us,” said Maybank coach S. Vellapan.
“But it only gives us additional strength to get over this and stake a claim in the quarterfinals. There are certain areas we are working on building especially our penalty corners strike rates,” he added.
For the record, Tenaga beat Maybank 5-2 in last year’s TNB Cup third-placing play-off after both teams were tied 2-2 in regulation time.
For Tenaga, who are bent on developing local talent, their goalmouth will be guarded by Malaysia's No 1 goalkeeper S. Kumar while the forward line will depend on national striker Shahril Saabah to deliver the goals.
However, Shahril has only scored four goals in 10 matches, while Tenaga's penalty corner battery has been blunt.
The six Project 2016 palyers who helped Tenaga finish fourth in the League are expected to play the leading role again.
The six are Aminudin Zain, Amirol Aideed, Nik Aiman, Najib Abu Hassan, Firdaus Omar and Syed Syafiq.
FRIDAY: Quarter-finals First Leg: Tenaga Nasional v Maybank (Bukit Jalil Pitch II, 6pm); Sapura v Universiti Kuala Lumpur (Bukit Jalil Pitch II, 8pm).
SUNDAY: Quarter-finals Second Leg -- Universiti Kuala Lumpur v Sapura (Bukit Jalil Pitch II, 6pm); Maybank v Tenaga Nasional (Bukit Jalil Pitch II, 8pm).
Premier Division League champions Terengganu Hockey Team and runners-up Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club are seeded into the semi-finals, leaving the other four to battle for two remaining slots.
The first quarters will be between Tenaga Nasional and Maybank, followed by Sapura and Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL).
In the two round league, Tenaga won both with 2-1 scores, while Sapura edged UniKL 2-1 and 3-2.
Tenaga, title sponsors, are the only team to have field an all-local outfit.
“We lost to TNB 2-1 in both home-and-away matches and on paper they certainly have the psychological edge over us,” said Maybank coach S. Vellapan.
“But it only gives us additional strength to get over this and stake a claim in the quarterfinals. There are certain areas we are working on building especially our penalty corners strike rates,” he added.
For the record, Tenaga beat Maybank 5-2 in last year’s TNB Cup third-placing play-off after both teams were tied 2-2 in regulation time.
For Tenaga, who are bent on developing local talent, their goalmouth will be guarded by Malaysia's No 1 goalkeeper S. Kumar while the forward line will depend on national striker Shahril Saabah to deliver the goals.
However, Shahril has only scored four goals in 10 matches, while Tenaga's penalty corner battery has been blunt.
The six Project 2016 palyers who helped Tenaga finish fourth in the League are expected to play the leading role again.
The six are Aminudin Zain, Amirol Aideed, Nik Aiman, Najib Abu Hassan, Firdaus Omar and Syed Syafiq.
FRIDAY: Quarter-finals First Leg: Tenaga Nasional v Maybank (Bukit Jalil Pitch II, 6pm); Sapura v Universiti Kuala Lumpur (Bukit Jalil Pitch II, 8pm).
SUNDAY: Quarter-finals Second Leg -- Universiti Kuala Lumpur v Sapura (Bukit Jalil Pitch II, 6pm); Maybank v Tenaga Nasional (Bukit Jalil Pitch II, 8pm).
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Malaysia beat North Korea 3-2
THE Malaysian women's hockey team beat North Korea 3-2 in the Junior Asia Cup at the Wujin Sadium in Changzhou, China, yesterday.
The half time score stood at 1-1, with Nuraslinda Said scoring a field goal in the 29th minute. Fatin Shafika (59th) and another goal from Nuraslinda in the 65th minute sealed the three points.
Malaysia now have six points, as they had beaten Singapore 2-0 earlier, but their hopes of playing in the semifinals are slim as their last opponents are India today.
India had beaten Singapore 12-0 and North Korea 13-0.
The half time score stood at 1-1, with Nuraslinda Said scoring a field goal in the 29th minute. Fatin Shafika (59th) and another goal from Nuraslinda in the 65th minute sealed the three points.
Malaysia now have six points, as they had beaten Singapore 2-0 earlier, but their hopes of playing in the semifinals are slim as their last opponents are India today.
India had beaten Singapore 12-0 and North Korea 13-0.
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