THE second leg semi-finals of the Junior Hockey League Milo Cup are a foregone conclusion, as UniKL Young Guns and Tengku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (SSTMI) look forward to playing in their fourth consecutive finals on Sunday.
UniKL Young Guns beat SSTMI Juniors 6-0 while SSTMI hit eight goals past Anderson to turn the return legs into warm-ups for the big clash.
UniKL won the first encounter in 2010, but lost the second and third to SSTMI.
“There is nothing to worry about the return leg tomorrow (today), as we gave it all in the first by scoring eight goals. UniKL were also impressive over our sister school, and so I expect the final to be another cracker on Sunday,” said SSTMI coach Wan Roslan Wan Rahman.
SSTMI travel to Ipoh for the return leg, which might just turn into another whipping exercise if Wan Roslan decides to avenge their 3-2 defeat to Anderson in the League.
As for UniKL coach K. Embaraj, there is no slowing down even with a six-goal cushion.
“I’ve had bad experiences in the past to learn from, and so, I will not break my players momentum by asking them to slow sown in the second leg.
“We will continue with the same structure and speed which saw us win 13-0 (in aggregate) in the two leg quarter-finals and also the 6-0 score in the semis.
“I want my players to be psyched up for the final, as we don’t want to end up as bridesmaid for the third time,” said Embaraj.
TODAY: Semi-finals (Second Leg): Andersons (0) v Tengku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (8) (Azlan Shah Stadium, 5pm); SSTMI Juniors (0) v UniKL Young Guns (6) (Taman Daya, 5pm).
Note: First Leg scores in parenthesis.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Baljit has to fight for his spot...
NATIONAL chief coach Paul Revington named 16 players for the Azlan Shah Cup on March 9-17, and conspicuously missing was defender Baljit Singh.
However the defender, together with Amin Rahim and striker Ismail Abu will get a second chance to prove their worth when Revington pits his men against defending champions New Zealand on March 3 and 4 in Malacca.
“I have only picked 16 players while two more will be included after the New Zealand friendlies in Malacca. The battle for spots is so intense that some of the regulars like Baljit and Amin will have to fight back for their positions,” said Revington.
Hosts Malaysia will be up against India, Pakistan, South Korea, Australia and defending champions New Zealand in the 22nd Edition which might just turn out to be another nightmarish tournament for Malaysia.
For the record, Malaysia were sixth out of seven teams in the last edition when we lost 3-2 to South Korea in the fifth-sixth placing match, while in 2011 the occupied the bottom spot in the seven-team tournament.
The fixtures will see Malaysia play South Korea in the opening match, and the most recent result does not favour Malaysia.
Malaysia beat Korea 4-2 in the group stages of the Champions Challenge I in Argentina in December last year, but received a 6-3 drubbing from the Koreans in the semi-finals.
“I know I have said this many times before, but the target is still to improve in each match by going for a win. We need to keep doing this to improve our standings against much higher ranked sides which will assemble in Ipoh again,” said Revington.
Australia are the raging favourites to clinch their seventh Azlan Shah Cup title when the dust settles in Ipoh, but nobody expects Revington’s charges to sink to the bottom again as Malaysia prepare for the World Hockey League and the Asia Cup which offers tickets to the World Cup in Netherlands next year.
MALAYSIA: S. Kumar (gk), Roslan Jamaluddin (gk), Razie Rahim, Azlan Misron, Jivan Mohan, Faisal Saari, Faiz Helmi, Chua Boon Huat, Sukri Mutalib, Izad Hakimi, Fitri Saari, Shahrun Nabil, Azammi Adabi, Marhan Jalil, Nabil Fiqri, Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin.
However the defender, together with Amin Rahim and striker Ismail Abu will get a second chance to prove their worth when Revington pits his men against defending champions New Zealand on March 3 and 4 in Malacca.
“I have only picked 16 players while two more will be included after the New Zealand friendlies in Malacca. The battle for spots is so intense that some of the regulars like Baljit and Amin will have to fight back for their positions,” said Revington.
Hosts Malaysia will be up against India, Pakistan, South Korea, Australia and defending champions New Zealand in the 22nd Edition which might just turn out to be another nightmarish tournament for Malaysia.
For the record, Malaysia were sixth out of seven teams in the last edition when we lost 3-2 to South Korea in the fifth-sixth placing match, while in 2011 the occupied the bottom spot in the seven-team tournament.
The fixtures will see Malaysia play South Korea in the opening match, and the most recent result does not favour Malaysia.
Malaysia beat Korea 4-2 in the group stages of the Champions Challenge I in Argentina in December last year, but received a 6-3 drubbing from the Koreans in the semi-finals.
“I know I have said this many times before, but the target is still to improve in each match by going for a win. We need to keep doing this to improve our standings against much higher ranked sides which will assemble in Ipoh again,” said Revington.
Australia are the raging favourites to clinch their seventh Azlan Shah Cup title when the dust settles in Ipoh, but nobody expects Revington’s charges to sink to the bottom again as Malaysia prepare for the World Hockey League and the Asia Cup which offers tickets to the World Cup in Netherlands next year.
MALAYSIA: S. Kumar (gk), Roslan Jamaluddin (gk), Razie Rahim, Azlan Misron, Jivan Mohan, Faisal Saari, Faiz Helmi, Chua Boon Huat, Sukri Mutalib, Izad Hakimi, Fitri Saari, Shahrun Nabil, Azammi Adabi, Marhan Jalil, Nabil Fiqri, Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Milo Cup return legs merely academic...
UNIKL Young Guns and Tengku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (SSTMI) have virtually sealed a date in the final of the Junior Hockey League Milo Cup after convincing wins in the first leg semi-finals yesterday.
UniKL hammered SSTMI Juniors 6-0 at the National Hockey Stadium, while SSTMI whitewashed Anderson 8-0 at the Taman Daya Stadium in Johor Baru.
The return leg semi-finals will be held on Friday, but it would be purely academic as both UniKL and SSTMI are poised to meet in their fourth consecutive Milo Cup final.
UniKL got their goals off Hafif Elkan (14th, 28th, 59th), Syafiq Zulzairin (17th, 61st) and Syafiq Sumantri (43rd).
As for SSTMI, their goals were scored by Mohamed Amiruddin (13th), Amirul Aidid (17th, 41st), Shaaril Saabah (27th), Zizie Azwan (35th), Hafiz Seleman (45th, 50th) and Najib Abu Hassan (68th).
"Im very happy with the big win and it is surely a boost for us as my players pick up the pace in the knock-out stages.
"There was good team effort in both the quarter-finals as well as today (yesterday) and that is what I am looking from my players," said UniKL coach K. Embaraj.
RESULTS: Semi-finals (First Leg): Tengku Mahkota Ismail Sports School 8 Andersons 0; UniKL 6 SSTMI Juniors 0.
FRIDAY: Semi-finals (Second Leg): Andersons v Tengku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (Azlan Shah Stadium, 5pm); SSTMI Juniors v UniKL (Taman Daya, 5pm).
UniKL hammered SSTMI Juniors 6-0 at the National Hockey Stadium, while SSTMI whitewashed Anderson 8-0 at the Taman Daya Stadium in Johor Baru.
The return leg semi-finals will be held on Friday, but it would be purely academic as both UniKL and SSTMI are poised to meet in their fourth consecutive Milo Cup final.
UniKL got their goals off Hafif Elkan (14th, 28th, 59th), Syafiq Zulzairin (17th, 61st) and Syafiq Sumantri (43rd).
As for SSTMI, their goals were scored by Mohamed Amiruddin (13th), Amirul Aidid (17th, 41st), Shaaril Saabah (27th), Zizie Azwan (35th), Hafiz Seleman (45th, 50th) and Najib Abu Hassan (68th).
"Im very happy with the big win and it is surely a boost for us as my players pick up the pace in the knock-out stages.
"There was good team effort in both the quarter-finals as well as today (yesterday) and that is what I am looking from my players," said UniKL coach K. Embaraj.
RESULTS: Semi-finals (First Leg): Tengku Mahkota Ismail Sports School 8 Andersons 0; UniKL 6 SSTMI Juniors 0.
FRIDAY: Semi-finals (Second Leg): Andersons v Tengku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (Azlan Shah Stadium, 5pm); SSTMI Juniors v UniKL (Taman Daya, 5pm).
FIH offer to elevate game..
THE International Hockey Federation (FIH) has offered Malaysia to host at least one international tournament every year, as the parent body look towards elevating the standard of the game in this region.
This was announced by their president Leandro Negre at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, who paid tribute to the MHC for always being on had to take over tournaments which other countries decline at the eleventh hour.
"When Germany withdrew as hosts (from the World Hockey League semi-finals), the FIH called MHC and they had no hesitation to offer themselves as hosts," said Negre.
"Also, when in the past we had to find a replacement host for the Champions Trophy due to the reluctance of teams to go to Pakistan, it was Malaysia that helped saved the day as well.
"In the past we have had this arrangement of hosting at least one event with India and Netherlands. And from next year Malaysia will be included as well. It is not because they rescued us but also the fact that this country has tremendous facilities for hockey."
The semis of the World Hockey League to be held on June 29 to July 7 in Johor Baru and will feature Germany, South Korea, Pakistan, England and Malaysia. Three other teams will be determined by the FIH after the Round Two competition comes to an end.
Malaysia is bidding to host the 2014 Champions Challenge 1 and going by what Negre revealed, they should have no problems securing the tournament when a decision is made by the FIH this September.
This was announced by their president Leandro Negre at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, who paid tribute to the MHC for always being on had to take over tournaments which other countries decline at the eleventh hour.
"When Germany withdrew as hosts (from the World Hockey League semi-finals), the FIH called MHC and they had no hesitation to offer themselves as hosts," said Negre.
"Also, when in the past we had to find a replacement host for the Champions Trophy due to the reluctance of teams to go to Pakistan, it was Malaysia that helped saved the day as well.
"In the past we have had this arrangement of hosting at least one event with India and Netherlands. And from next year Malaysia will be included as well. It is not because they rescued us but also the fact that this country has tremendous facilities for hockey."
The semis of the World Hockey League to be held on June 29 to July 7 in Johor Baru and will feature Germany, South Korea, Pakistan, England and Malaysia. Three other teams will be determined by the FIH after the Round Two competition comes to an end.
Malaysia is bidding to host the 2014 Champions Challenge 1 and going by what Negre revealed, they should have no problems securing the tournament when a decision is made by the FIH this September.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Out-dia become In-dia after five hours..
Contrary to
news reports filtering out of India, it can now be confirmed that India
will participate in the 22nd edition of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup that
commences on March 9 at the Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh.
The confirmation that Hockey India has
resolved its issues with the Government of India was made via an email
sewnt by Elena Norman, the Chief Executive of Hockey India to the
Malaysian Hockey Confederation minutes ago.
The email reads as follows:
"We have just received confirmation from
the Government of India, that the necessary financial sanction of the
team has been received.
"As such the Senior Men National
Hockey Team shall be participating in the 22nd Sultan of Azlan Shah
tournament starting from 9 – 17 March 2013.
"The team will be arriving as scheduled on 3 March 2013, and we apologise any inconvenience caused."
Elena Norman
Chief Executive Officer
Hockey India.
Earlier there was news that Hockey India had issued a Press Release stating that they were withdrawing from the tournament.
"We are relieved that India will be
coming and are happy that things worked out well in the end. It was a
worrying few hours for us and I thank Hockey India and the Government of
India for kindly agreeing to send their team," said Dato Abdul Rahim Md
Ariff, the Chairman of the Organising Committee and Malaysian Hockey
Confederation Vice President.
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