24 Aug Maybank fail to break KLHC domination once again

Maybank once again failed to break Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club’s (KLHC) domination as the four-time champions registered a 2-1 win in the second round of the TNBMHL Premier Division match at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil today.

In the first round of the league, KLHC defeated Maybank 3-1.

Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) continued to close the gap with KLHC at the top of the table standings with a 3-0 win over Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) at the adjacent pitch. National forward Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin struck home a sixth minute field goal while siblings Fitri Saari (42nd) and Faizal (45th) added to UniKL’s misery with two field goals.

THT had in the first round clawed back from a 2-1 deficit to pull away victory by 4-2 against UniKL at the Batu Buruk Hockey Stadium in Kuala Terengganu.

It was Maybank who dictated terms against KLHC by taking a 36th minute lead through Muhammad Toseef who pounced on an Ahmad Kazamirul Nasruddin long shot into the penalty box, leaving goalkeeper Shahrul Azaddin with no chance at all.

KLHC, however, equalised just under a minute later from a field goal after Muhammad Shamim Yusof deflected the ball past Pakistan’s national team goalkeeper Muhammad Irfan Butt.

The 2010-2013 champions shot 2-1 ahead in the 42nd minute from a penalty corner. Drag-flick specialist Muhammad Razie Rahim gave his best shot but this was thwarted by Irfan Butt only for Ali Hassan to pick it from a rebound to give KLHC their fifth win in six matches so far.

KLHC head coach, K. Dharmaraj, said: “We expect the game to be close and we know Maybank have the ability to play good hockey and capable of creating an upset. They have nothing to lose and are chasing for their first win and three points.”

Maybank coach, S. Vellapan, was least disappointed by yet another defeat in the league and applauded his players for putting up a great effort against KLHC.

“My players played well today. We had good ball possession and had our chances at the goal but we made some unforced errors and will need to check on this in our next match against UniKL on Sunday,” said Vellapan, adding that the rained-off first round match against UniKL has been rescheduled to be played on September 2.

Meanwhile, TNB showed great determination to edge Sapura 2-1 at the National Hockey Stadium, a reverse of result that saw Sapura winning the first round match by the same margin.

Muhammad Aminuddin Mohd Zaid kept TNB in front with a fourth minute penalty corner goal but Sapura level the score 1-1 through Pakistan’s Muhammad Azfar Yaqoob off a field goal in the 36th minute.

TNB, an all-local outfit, found the winning goal by Muhammad Amin Rahim from a 45th minute penalty corner to give his side their third win in six matches.