THT versus KLHC – A clash of the titans

Kuala Lumpur (7 January, 2016): Top guns Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) and Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) will face-off in the semi-finals of the Tan Sri P. Alagendra Cup Knockout Tournament at the Tun Razak Stadium on Monday.

The two teams will meet in the second semi-final match (8.0pm) after the first semi-final encounter between Majlis Perbandaran Petaling Jaya (MBPJ) and Maybank (6.0pm).

Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club triumphed 7-0 over the Bandar Penawar-based Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School while Maybank defeated Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) 2-1 at the Tun Razak Stadium. Rashid Baharom and Ahmad Kazamirul scored a brace for KLHC whilst Noor Faeez Ibrahim, Mohd Syamim Yusof and Harvinder Singh scored a piece.

At the Kuala Lumpur Hockey Stadium in Jalan Pantai, MBPJ edged Bukit Jalil Sports School 2-1 with goals from Mohd Norshahrezan (28th minute) and Mohd Najmr Ahmad Hayazi (52nd). Faiq Razin Zariq replied for BJSS.

Terengganu Hockey Team celebrated an emphatic 7-1 win over Politeknik Malaysia-KPT at the Kuala Lumpur Hockey Stadium. National forward Faizal Saari reaped a four-goal harvest whilst Ismail Abu, Muhamad Firhan Ashari and Amirol Mirza Rozi scored one apiece.

Maybank held on to a great fight back from UniKL after both teams were tied 1-1 at the end of the third quarter before finding the perfect space to win following a penalty stroke in the 51st which Hafifihafiz Hanafi scored to put them into Monday’s semi-finals.

“I am happy with this win and the penalty stroke was a sure welcome sign for us. We had seven penalty corners but credit to UniKL goalkeeper (Khairul Nizam) for playing exceptionally well,” said Maybank manager Saiful Azli Abdu Rahman.

“We were lucky to win today as we did not play that well after two tough matches within 24 hours affect ted the team,” he added.

Failure to convert their own chances also cost UniKL victory and a place in the last four. Just as Maybank, Arul Selvaraj’s UniKL had seven penaltycorners opportunities and squandered all including a one-goal lead before going down 2-1 at the hooter.

UniKL coach, Arul, said there is much to be done by the team before the 2017 TNBMHL gets underway on January 13.

“We should have broken away after taking a 1-0 lead. The match also showed some flaws on our part and that was the lack of ideas within the six metres area when in possession of the ball,” said Arul.”

UniKL had beaten Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM-KPT) 2-0 in the first round match while Maybank demolished Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM-KPT) 8-1 on Friday.

Marhan Jalil opened scoring for UniKL in the 32nd minute but Maybank equalised through Mohd Iderus Ali (44th minute) and Hafifihafiz scored the winner off a penalty stroke.

Results – Quarterfinals: Maybank 2 Universiti Kuala Lumpur 1; Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya 2 Bukit Jalil Sports School 1; Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club 7 Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School 0; Terengganu Hockey Team 7 Politeknik Malaysia-KPT 1.

Fixtures – Semi-finals (Monday, 9 January, 2017): MBPJ v Maybank (6.0pm); THT v KLHC (8.0pm). Both matches at Tun Razak Stadium