KUALA LUMPUR (30 August, 2016): Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) fought back gallantly with a brace from Syed Mohamad Syafiq to register a 3-2 win over Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) to advance into the semifinals of the TNBMHL 2016 Knockout Tournament for the Tan Sri P. Alagendra Cup at the Kuala Lumpur HA Stadium today.
Joining TNB in next Tuesday’s (Sept 6) semifinals of the tournament that offers RM70,000 to the champion are Terengganu Hockey Team (THT), Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (SSTMI) and Sapura Hockey Club.
THT renewed its rivalry against Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club and triumphed 3-2 at the Batu Buruk Hockey Stadiu
Sapura’s Firhan Ashari (centre) attempts to dribble past the ATM Airod players during their TNBMHL 2016 Tan Sri P. Alagendra Cup quarter final match at the Kuala Lumpur Hockey Stadium today. Sapura won 7-0.
m in Kuala Terengganu; Johor-based SSTMI overcame a gritty Politeknik Malaysia 3-0 in penalty shootout after the match between the two Division One outfits ended in a 1-1 draw in regulation time while Sapura thrashed ATM Airod, another Division One team, 7-0 in a one-sided quarterfinals affair at the KLHA Stadium.
KLHC, who are currently riding high in the Premier League, defeated double champions THT 2-1 in Charity Shield match at the same venue.
Mohamad Amirul Hanis shot Politeknik ahead with a 56th minute field goal but let their guard down two minutes later as SSTMI equalized through Azhad Akmal Fahmi to force a shootout. All four teams will know their semifinals opponents on Thursday when the draw is conducted at the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) office.
In a fast pace match, TNB took the lead twice but UniKL came back with the equaliser before Syed Mohamad Syafiq nailed the winner in the 57th minute from a penalty corner. TNB had earlier taken a third minute lead through Syed Mohamad’s penalty corner conversion only for UniKL to pull one back via Abdul Khaliq Hamirin in the 51st minute.
However, Nik Mohamad Aiman made it 2-1 for TNB three minutes later but Arul Selvaraj’s UniKL piled on the pressure and were rewarded in the 55th minute as Mohamad Nazmi Farizal packed a powerful shot past goalkeeper S. Kumar. The young and energetic TNB players were back firing on all cylinders to move into the semi-finals.
“I am happy with this win but the boys gave away two goals due to silly mistakes. It was very much school boys hockey during those moments we gave away the penalty corners,” said TNB head coach Muhamad Amin Rahim.
“We don’t know who we will meet in the semi-finals and hope we are drawn to meet the weakest of all the teams,” he added.
THT grabbed a 2-0 lead with goals from Korean Kim Jonghoo (15th, field goal) and Mohamad Fitri Saari (26th, penalty stroke). KLHC, however, clawed back to close the gap first through Nam Hyunwoo (39th, penalty corner) and Pakistani Muhammad Umar Bhutta equalized two minute later via a field goal. The hosts emerged victors with four minutes remaining as Jang Jonghyun struck from a penalty corner to take THT through.
Results – Tan Sri P. Alagendra Cup: Tenaga Nasional Berhad 3 Universiti Kuala Lumpur 2; Terengganu Hockey Team 3 Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club 2; Tunku Ismail Sports School 1 Politeknik Malaysia 1 (SSTMI win 3-0 in penalty shootout); Sapura HC 7 ATM Airod 0.
