Mix-n-match for Perth 9s

MALAYSIA will be sending a mixed men’s side for the International Super Series Hockey 9s in Perth from Oct 17-20.
     Defender Ahmad Kazamirul, midfielder Harwinder Singh, goalkeeper Khairulnizam Ibrahim and defender Amin Rahim will be among the motley-crew for the 9s hockey tournament.
   All the above players did not play any part in major tournaments this year, but have been given another chance to prove themselves after their performance in the recent Razak Cup in Kuantan.
    Some of the regular national players added to strengthen the squad are striker Tengku Ahmad Tajudin, No 2 goalkeeper Roslan Jamaluddin, midfielder Shahrun Nabil and defenders Baljit Singh and Razie Rahim.
    Malaysia will also send a women’s side which will compete against world no 2 Argentina, Australia and Canada.
    The men’s tournament will see Paul Revington’s side pitting their skills against world No 2 Australia, Pakistan and Argentina.
     Australia has been in the forefront of promoting hockey 9s which will have nine instead of 11 players a-side, for a faster and more open field.
    The tournament’s modified format will also have a larger goal-mouth, and 20 minute halves to provide the action in short, sharp, exciting bursts.

Malaysia lost to a better side...

MALAYSIA gave their best, but it was not enough, and they went down 3-0 to a much more matured India in the final of the Third Edition of the Sultan of Johor Cup at the Taman Daya Stadium yesterday.
   However, the tournament has served its purpose, as Malaysia prepare for the Junior World Cup in New Delhi on Dec 6-15 with a better understanding of their strength and weaknesses.
   "There is no shame in this defeat as my boys gave their best but it was not enough against a much more matured India side.
    "However, this tournament has shown me what I need to do in the remaining days leading to the Junior World Cup, and that is the most important lesson we will be taking from the Third Edition silver medal," said Malaysian coach K. Dharmaraj.
   The Taman Daya Stadium was filled to the brim with hardly any space to swing a cat, as 10,000 fans swamped the 3,500 capacity stadium to cheer coach K. Dharmaraj's charges.
    They were all around the stadium, which only has seating on one side, while the rest of them sat under trees, and stood around the perimeter fence.
    The match progressed slowly, and only in the 12th minute it actually started with a penaty corner won by India. Malaysian runners took the corner apart, and a swift counter attack almost landed Malaysia the first goal but eight-goal hero Shahril Saabah missed a reverse stick attempt.
    India drew first blood when Amon Mirash Tirkey's field attempt sailed into the goalmouth in the 22nd minute, and the match went into higher gear as Malaysia went looking for the equaliser.
   India were the better side in the first half, as Malaysia had to defend deep and the match almost went into half-time but all hell broke loose when United States umpire awarded India a penalty corner a few seconds after the half-time hooter had blown.
    Malaysia protested, but the umpire said he did not hear the hooter as the crowd were too noisy. There consecutive penalty corners were awarded after that, but  the Malaysian runners took all three apart.
    However, Azri Hassan was flashed the yellow card in that moment of mayhem and Malaysia will re-start with 10 players after the break.
   India pressed hard to increase their lead, but even after a total of eight penalty corners by the 45th minute, they could not score as Malaysain goalkeeper Hafizuddin Othman brings out saves after saves.
    Malaysia finally get their act together and win their first two penalty corners of the match in the 46th and 50th minutes, but the ball refused to go in.
    And even though Malaysia were the better side in the second half, a mistake in the 55th minute saw Yousuf Affan converting a one-two with Ramandeep Singh for a 2-0 lead.
   India skipper Manpreet Singh nailed the third goal in the 64th minute and it was all over for Malaysai.
   RESULTS --  Final -- Malaysia 0 India 3; Third-Fourth: Pakistan 0 Argentina 0 (Argentina win shoot-out 3-0); Fifth-Sixth: South Korea 6 England 0.

Malaysia 3 India 3

IT was purely an academic match to complete the fixtures, but still, the stadium was packed to the brim when Malaysia played India in the Sultan of Johor Cup at the Taman Daya Stadium in Johor Baru yesterday.
   Malaysia came back from two goals down to take the lead at 3-2, but in the end, both the teams shared the spoils at 3-3.
   India and Malaysia remained unbeaten after five matches and it looks like the  final today is going to be a sizzler, with very little separating both the sides.
   The Malaysian hero was Shahril Saabah who scored in the 62nd and 67th minutes to take his tournament tally to eighth. The other goal was scored by Rashid Baharom in the 63rd minute.
   The Indian goals were scored by Satbir Singh (10th) and Ramandeep Singh (33rd) and Yousuf Affan (69th).
    Coach K. Dharmaraj also fielded his second goalkeeper Hazrul Faiz, and rested top-form Hafizuddin Othman, and Malaysia played at low gear for 60 minutes before showing their true form in the last 10 minutes.
    The coach even benched himself, to give his assistants the feel of handling a match without his presence.
    "It was a good avenue to rest some of the key players and allow others more playing time in preparation for the final tomorrow (today). The score does not matter, as I now have a better understanding of the Indian side for the final push," said Dharmaraj.
    Malaysia won the inaugural title in 2011 by beating Australia 3-2 with a sudden-death goal, but finished last the very next year.
    Today it is important for Malaysia to show what they are made up, as they prepare for the Junior World Cup in New Delhi on Dec 6-15.
    "We are the underdogs, but my players are not afraid of India, and will play for the title, that is an assurance to all the fans that have been supporting this team," said Dharmaraj.
   India coach Clark Gregg summed up Malaysia: "They have fast players who can overturn any match if the opponents go into sleep mode, and I believe they have a side that can challenge for the top-eight positions in the World Cup."
    First choice goalkeeper Hafizuddin is an example of late bloomers, as he was dropped from the Junior Asia Cup side that won gold to take Malaysia into the Junior World Cup, but has since clawed his way back with sheer determination.
    "Hafizuddin is the kind of fighters that any coach would like to have by his side. I had to drop him earlier because there were two more goalkeepers better than him, but he slowly overtook them over the last two years and is now my first choice. I have a team of fighters, and they are not afraid to take on any side including tournament and World Cup favourites India," said Dharmaraj.
   
 FINAL STANDINGS
                                P  W  D  L  F  A         Pts
INDIA                       5   4   1  0  18  7     13
MALAYSIA               5   4   1  0  19   9     13
PAKISTAN                5   3   0  2  15  11    9
ARGENTINA              5   1   1  3  10  13   4
S KOREA                   4   0   1  3  4    16    1
ENGLAND                 4   0   0  4  4    14    0

   RESULTS -- Argentina 1 Pakistan 4, India 3 Malaysia 3, South
Korea x England x.
   TODAY --  Final -- Malaysia v India (8.35pm); Third-Fourth: Pakistan v Argentina (5.05); Fifth-Sixth: South Korea v England (3.35)

Lovely battle...

THERE will be no love lost between India and Malaysia in the final group match of the Sultan of Johor Cup today, but love is on the air on the sidelines.
    For India skipper Manpreet Singh, 21, has fallen head-over
heels with a Malaysian girl and has even made plans to marry her after the 2016 Rio Olympics.
    "We met during the second Sultan of Johor Cup (2012) and after exchanging numbers, we kept in touch and love blossomed. I plan to marry her after the Rio Olympics," said the youth with 79 international caps as he is also a regular with the senior side.
    He even took the girl to Punjab, India, last year, and she stayed and enjoyed village life in Lahore.
    "My parents like her very much and approve of our relationship, and she also liked my village very much," said Manpreet.
     Even though he is high on love with a Malaysian girl, his feet are firmly on the ground to rally his men to beat Malaysia today,
and again in the final tomorrow.
    "I love this country, but will plan for a victory for India in both the encounters because I and my mates want to land our hands on the title," said Manpreet.
    Malaysia won the Inaugural title in 2011, Germany claimed the next title, and it will be a tussle between Malaysia and India in the Third Edition.
    "We will be playing India twice, and I will use the first to give more playing time to my fringe players. We will be going for wins in both the encounters, but I will caution my players to play safe and try to avoid injuries and cards because the Sunday match is what matters most," said Malaysain coach K. Dharmaraj.
     From champions, Malaysia turned to chumps by finishing last in last year's edition: "We will be playing with tournament favourites and also one of the strong contenders for the World Cup title.
    "The match will not be an easy one, but I am looking forward to it because it will give me a super chance to test my players against one of the top junior teams in the world," said Dharmaraj.
   This Indian junior side plays hockey until the strikers reach the opponents semicircle, and then change to cricket by slamming in loose balls like they were looking for Sixers.
    The Indian strikers have shown killer instincts which has netted 15 goals in four matches. They have only let in four goals.
    Malaysia has scored 16 and let in six: "We won an average of eight penalty corners in every game, but the scoring rate has been very poor.
   "This is one of the departments that I need to strengthen before New Delhi," said Dharmaraj.
   The Junior World Cup will be held in New Delhi on Dec 6-15, and all six teams in the Sultan of Johor Cup have qualified.
    Malaysia are in Group D of the World Cup, and have England, Pakistan and South Africa for company. In Johor, Malaysia beat England 3-1 and Pakistan 4-2.
 
STANDINGS
                                P  W  D  L  F  A  Pts
INDIA                       4   4   0  0  15  4   12
MALAYSIA               4   4   0  0  16  6   12
PAKISTAN                4   2   0  2  11  10   6
ARGENTINA              4   1   1  2  9   9     4
S KOREA                   4   0   1  3  4  16    1
ENGLAND                 4   0   0  4  4  14    0

   TODAY -- Argentina v Pakistan (4pm), India v Malaysia (6pm), South Korea v England (8pm).
    Sept 29: Final -- Malaysia v India (8.35pm);

Malaysia to play India in final..

MALAYSIA showed class to hammer Pakistan 4-2 and qualify for the final of the Sultan of Johor Cup with a match in hand at the Taman Daya Stadium yesterday.
   And they will play India in the final, as the Indians had beaten South Korea 6-1 in an earlier match to also remain unbeaten in the tournament.
   India and Malaysia will play again on Saturday to complete their final pool match, but it will be purely academic and a warm-up to Sunday's final.
   It was the second time Malaysia made the final after three editions of the Sultan of Johor Cup, and they claimed the inaugural title in 2011 by beating Australia 3-2 in the final.
   The Malaysian heroes were Zulhaimi Hashim (28th), Shahril Saabah (39th), Fitri Saari (60th) and Syamim Yusof (64th).
   "This is a memorable win as we beat a side which had Olympian and senior World Cup players. The match also showed my players composure, as they had to come back from a goal down for the first time in this tournament to claim the ticket to the final," said coach K, Dharmaraj.
    And the most outstanding player was again goalkeeper Hafizuddin Othman, who made some daring and gallant saves.
   However, it took Malaysia 20 minutes to settle down, as poor co-ordiation and stopping suddenly crept into the their normally fluent hockey.
   And they even bungled the first penalty corner in the 10th minute, and gave Pakistan too much of space to mount counter attacks, but the match remained scoreless after 25 minutes of play.
    The stadium was packed to the brim, as supporters turned out in full force to cheer on the juniors, but still, the drumrolls and constant singing and cheering failed to raise coach K. Dharmaraj's charges spirits in the first half, but the tide turned after the breather.
    Pakistan, who relied heavily on counter attacks as Malaysia had them pinned in their own semi-circle for long periods, finally got their act together in the 26th minute.
    Muhammad Dilber connected a cross for the lead, but Malaysia immediately launched an attack after the restart and won their third penalty corner.
    This time, Zulhaimi Hashim made sure with a sizzling flick in the 28th minute, to re-ignite the Malaysian fire.
    Malaysia were more composed after the break, and barely four minutes into play, they won a crucial penalty corner and tournament top-scorer Shahril Saabah nailed his sixth goal to give Malaysian the lead.
    But Pakistan came back into the match again when they converted a penalty corner in the 48th minute into a penalty stroke, and Muhammad Tousiq beat Malaysian goalkeeper Hafizuddin Othman.
    Team skipper, Fitri Saari, who gave away the penalty stroke to Pakistan earlier made ammends when he scored the third goal off a penalty corner rebound in the 50th minute.
    There was plenty of time to score more, and Malaysia looked the more dangerous side as they kept possession and made dangerous breaks.
    Syamim Yusof then took off the intense pressure off the Malaysian shoulder with a stunning field goal in the 64th minute and made sure Malaysia played in the final.

STANDINGS
                                P  W  D  L  F  A  Pts
INDIA                       4   4   0  0  15  4   12
MALAYSIA               4   4   0  0  16  6   12
PAKISTAN                4   2   0  2  11  10   6
ARGENTINA              4   1   1  2  9   9     4
S KOREA                   4   0   1  3  4  16    1
ENGLAND                 4   0   0  4  4  14    0

   RESULTS -- England 0 Argentina 3, South Korea 1 India 6, Malaysia 4 Pakistan 2.
    Sept 28: Argentina v Pakistan (4pm), India v Malaysia (6pm), South Korea v England (8pm).
    Sept 20: Final and placing matches.