Thunderbolt hold edge in President Cup

Kuala Lumpur (16 Sept, 2016): As expected the top guns in the TNBMHL 2016 Division One League won their first-leg quarterfinals matches for the President’s Cup on Friday.

Leading the pack are Division One champions Tenaga Nasional Berhad Thunderbolt who came through 3-1 against Penang-based Nur Insafi at the Kuala Lumpur Hockey Stadium. For the record, both teams played to a 4-4 draw in the League.

Thunderbolt goals were scored by Mohd Akhimullah Anuar Esuk (23rd and 34th) and Arif Syafie Ishak (39th minute, PC) while Tuan Abdul Walid replied for Nur Insafi (8th minute, FG). Akhimullah has scored 12 goals in tournament.

Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School routed ATM Airod 5-2 in Bandar Penawar while Universiti Teknologi MARA-KPT defeated Ipoh Municipal Council (MBI) 2-1 at the Tun Razak Stadium and Politeknik Malaysia also edged Bukit Jalil Sports School 3-2 at the Taman Daya Stadium in Johor Baru.

The return leg will be played on Sunday (18 Sept, 2016).

SSTMI’s forward Zulhamizan Awang Abas scored a hat-trick (20th, 36th and 40th minutes) while Azhad Akmal scored a brace in the 48th and 59th minutes from field goals. ATM Airod replied through Ahmad Syafik Mohd Sazali (19th) and Mohd Szuhairi Kamal (25th).

This is the second time SSTMI defeated ATM Airod with a big margin after a 6-2 thrashing in the Division One League.

UITM-KPT, who lost to MBI 3-2 in the league, turned the tables on their opponents and go into Sunday’s return-leg with a one-goal advantage. It was MBI who shot ahead with a Mohamad Soffian Kamaruddin 34th minute field goal before UITM struck back with goals in the fourth quarter.

Amir Zulkarnain Robangi fired home a 46th minute penalty corner and Muhammad Shahfirul Aqmal scored UITM’s winner five minutes later from a field goal.

Politeknik Malaysia, who finished fourth in the league and take a one-goal lead against BJSS going into the second-leg, led 2-1 by the second quarter but Mohamad Ramadan Ariffin leveled 2-2 for BJSS in the 38th minute from a field goal. Muhamad Amirul Hanis (6th, FG) and Mohamad Sofian Marson (29th, PC) had earlier scored for

Politeknik and Abdul Syafiq Abdul Razak (26th, PC) replied for BJSS.

Politeknik mounted pressure in pursuit of the winning goal and their efforts paid dividends with a 59th minute field goal strike from Mohamad Zaki Ismail.

Results – President’s Cup Q-finals First Leg: TNB Thunderbolt 3 Nur Insafi 1; SSTMI 5 ATM Airod 2; UiTM-KPT 2 MBI 1; Politeknik Malaysia 3 BJSS 2.

Second Leg (18 Sept, 2016): Nur Insafi v TNB Thunderbolt (Sungai Petani, 5.0pm); ATM Airod v SSTMI (Tun Razak Hockey Stadium, 8.0pm); MBI v UiTM-KPT (Sultan Azlan Shah Stadium, 6.0pm); BJSS v Politeknik Malaysia (Ministry of Education Hockey Stadium, Jalan Pantai, 6.0pm).