Exciting encounter of contrasting styles on the cards

KUALA LUMPUR (28 MAY, 2016): The coaches of Terengganu and Police have promised hockey fans a thrilling encounter to remember when their sides meet in the Division One final of the 2016 TNB Tun Abdul Razak Cup at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

Both sides are powered by a number of national and ex-national players, adding to the stakes of the match and the quality on show in Malaysian Hockey Confederation’s (MHC) marquee tournament.

Terengganu coach Surjit Singh expects a good showing from his team as belief and morale are high among the players.

“Our target coming into this competition was to make the semi-finals. But we are here now and it is because the players have played very well.

“We want to win the final and so does the opponent, so you can expect a good match,” added Sarjit.

Police coach Gurmeet Singh also anticipates an exciting final judging by the performance of his team and the way Terengganu have settled in the tournament.

“My players have done very well and they have played as a unit throughout the tournament.

“Making the final this time around is something new, it’s a historic moment for Police.

“Terengganu are a very good side, young side, very energetic. But we have experience on our side, so you can expect a very good match,” added Gurmeet, who also revealed his excitement on a personal level, of being in the final against a team coached by a hockey “guru” like Sarjit.

Built around several national players including goalkeeper Muhammad Hafizuddin Othman, midfielder Mohd Fitri Saari, winger Nik Muhammad Aiman Nik Rozami and forwards Faizal Saari and Muhammad Firhan Ashari, Terengganu have fielded one of the youngest sides in the tournament.

Terengganu’s captain, Faizal Saari (left) and PDRM’s captain, Baljit Singh posing with the Tun Abdul Razak Cup during the press conference in Bukit Jalil today.

The East Coast team’s ride to the final include a 3-2 win over Kuala Lumpur, a 2-2 draw against Negeri Sembilan, a 4-4 draw with Perak and a 4-0 thumping win over defending champions Malacca in the semi-final.

Police on the other hand are a more calculated outfit and they bank on the wealth of experience that national forward Mohd Razie Abd Rahim and ex-nationals Kelvinder Singh, Baljit Singh and Nabil Fiqri Mohd Noor bring to the team.

The Boys in Blue on the other hand notched a 3-2 win over Johor, a 4-3 win over Pahang, a 2-2 draw with Malacca and a convincing 3-0 semi-final win over Perak.

PRIZE MONEY
Men’s Division One – Champions RM10, 000, Runners-up RM7, 000, 3rd: RM5, 000
Men’s Division Two – Champions RM5, 000, Runners-up RM3, 000, 3rd: RM2, 000
Women Division One – Champions RM5, 000, Runners-up RM3, 000, 3rd: RM2, 000

All Matches at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil.