HOCKEY: BJSS Take The Bronze

BUKIT Jalil Sports School (BJSS) salvaged some pride when they beat MBI Anderson 3-1 in a six-minute goal blitz at the Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh yesterday.

Incidentally, BJSS also beat the Ipoh side with the same score in their League encounter in Division One.

However, the premier sports school in the country were shocked in the 37th minute when Akmal Tajuddin scored off a reverse stick effort to give Anderson the lead.

But they kept their composure, and scored three goals in six minutes when Shahiram Zali equalised in the 54th with a field goal, and three minutes later took the lead off a penalty corner attempt from Nik Aiman Nik Rozemi before Zizi Azwan scored from top of the semi-circle in the 60th to hand his school the bronze medal.

BJSS collected RM12,000 for finishing third while MBI-Anderson received RM10,000.

The match was played on the recently laid blue artificial pitch which will also be the colour of the London Olympics pitch. Also, a yellow ball will be used for the first time in the Olympics.

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HOCKEY: Third Tinal For Same Two Teams

UNIKL Young Guns will square off against SSTMI Thunderbolts for the third straight season to decide who lift the Milo Cup at the Azlan Shah Stadium tomorrow.

Thunderbolts’ Muhammad Firhan Ashaari (in red) goes through the MBI Anderson defence in their Milo Cup semi-final clash at the Bukit Jalil Stadium yesterday. Thunderbolts won 10-1. Pic by Nashairi Mohd Nawi

Yesterday, UniKL Young Guns were held to a 2-2 draw by Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) but booked their final ticket on a 5-3 aggregate.

However, BJSS have only themselves to blame, as they led 2-0 but caved in, in the final 15 minutes.

Division One champions Thunderbolts were the more aggressive side yesterday as they demolished MBI Anderson 10-1, for a 15-3 aggregate win.

On his team's chances in the final, UniKL manager Amir Azhar said: "If we play like we did today (yesterday) against Thunderbolts, we will be slaughtered at the Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh."

The UniKL-BJSS play was centred around the midfield until the 22nd minute penalty corner which was tucked in by Azrul Hasbullah to put BJSS ahead.

BJSS almost drew level in the 25th minute when Zizi Azwan was presented with a golden opportunity with only the goalkeeper to beat but he pushed the ball straight into Fitri Jasni.

And BJSS were again rewarded in the 46th minute when Hafif Elkan scored, also off a penalty corner.

However, that attempt at goal woke up UniKL and strikes from N. Kaatigan (53rd) and Nor Azrul Rahman (58th) were enough to take them into the final, as they had beaten BJSS 3-1 in the first leg.


As for Thunderbolts, their goals were scored by Shahril Saabah who got his hat-trick in the 40th, 43rd and 54th minutes to take his tally to 18.

The other goals were scored by Firhan Ashaari (25th, 64th and 65th), Hafiz Seleman (2nd, 37th), Sufi Ismat (19th) and Ahmad Alif Nazaruddin (57th).

Akmal Mohd Tajuddin (51st) scored the consolation goal for the Ipoh team.

RESULTS -- Semi-finals, return leg:

UniKL 2 Bukit Jalil SS 2 (UniKL win 5-3 on aggregate)

MBI Anderson 1 SSTMI Thunderbolts 10 (Thunderbolts win 15-3 on aggregate).

TOMORROW -- Final: UniKL v SSTMI Thunderbolts (6pm); Third-Fourth: Bukit Jalil Sports School v MBI Anderson (4pm).

(Both matches at the Azlan Shah Stadium in Bukit Jalil).
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HOCKEY: Scare For Big Guns

SSTMI Thunderbolts virtually qualified for the final of the Junior Hockey League Milo Cup when they hit MBI Anderson of Ipoh 5-2 in their semi-final first leg at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

BJSS’ Azrul Hasbullah (right) celebrates his teammates after scoring against UniKL in the first leg of the Milo Cup semi-finals at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

UniKL Young Guns also came back from the dead to win 3-1 against Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS), to keep themselves on track for a final appearance.

However, both the semi-finals had looked like they were heading for upsets, when Anderson took a 2-1 lead against Thunderbolts, while BJSS also drew first blood against UniKL.
Thunderbolts, who whitewashed Andersons 6-0 in the League, took matters for granted after Khairol Shafik scored in the 12th minute.

Anderson then shocked the favourites when skipper Najib Hassan scored off a penalty corner set-piece.

Azril Misron then made it 2-1 in the 22nd minute but Sufi Ismat equalised in the 24th and the score remained until the breather.

However, Thunderbolts showed why they were the league champions when they hit three goals within 10 minutes through Sufi (38th, 45th) and skipper Shazril Irwan Nazli (40th).

BJSS shocked UniKL when Azrul Hasbullah scored against the run of play in the 13th minute in pouring rain. But the joy was shortlived as UniKL's Haziq Samsul equalised in the 34th.

After the breather, UniKL retook the lead off Hafiz Zainol in the 40th and Syafiq Zulzairin then gave them some breathing space for the return leg with his 65th minute effort.

"There was a total lack of understanding between the midfield and forward line, and when BJSS scored it rattled my players further," said Thunderbolts coach Wan Roslan.

RESULTS -- S-finals, 1st leg: SSTMI-Thunderbolts 5 MBI Anderson 2, Bukit Jalil SS 1 UniKL 3.

TOMORROW -- Return leg: UniKL v Bukit Jalil SS (5pm), MBI Anderson v SSTMI Thunderbolts (7.30pm). -- Pitch II, National Hockey Stadium.

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Khairul Vows To Keep His Temper In Check

KUALA LUMPUR: Penang hockey defender Mohd Khairul Naim Johari has a history of violent behaviour which has cost him dear.

As a fifth former at Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) in 2010, Khairul struck a fellow student and was lucky to escape with just a warning.

However, he was dropped from the Project 2013 squad the same year for indiscipline.

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But he could not keep his fiery temper in check and hit another fellow student last year. This time, he paid a heavy price as he was expelled from the BJSS pre-university course he was doing.

Khairul almost gave up hope and hockey, but he was given a lifeline by Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) team manager Amir Azhar Ibrahim, who invited him to play for them in the Malaysian Junior Hockey League (MJHL) this year.

The 19-year-old Khairul has been a changed person since joining UniKL.

He is not only marshalling the defence well and keeping a lid on his temper, but has also been named assistant skipper of the team.

Khairul said that being expelled from the BJSS pre-university course was the most depressing moment of his life.

“I’m ashamed of my past as I had a history of beating up players. Because of my bad temper I lost my chance to get into a local university,” said Khairul.

“I almost gave up hope ... but it all changed when I was given a second chance by UniKL team manager Amir.

“I’d like to thank Amir for having faith in me. I have promised myself not to lose my temper and hit anyone again.”

Khairul now wants to repay UniKL’s belief in him by helping the university team reach the final.

Division One runners-up UniKL face BJSS in the semi-final first leg at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil today while the return leg is on Friday.

UniKL qualified for the last four by hammering MSSPP-USM 9-2 on aggregate.

The university team have a psychological advantage as they edged BJSS 3-2 in the league.

Khairul said they would face a strong challenge from BJSS who gave them a real good fight in their earlier clash.

“We failed to retain the Division One title, losing out to SSTMI (Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School)-Thunderbolt on goal difference. But I’m confident that we can rise to occasion and get the better of BJSS to qualify for the final,” said Khairul.

SSTMI-Thunderbolt face MBI-Anderson in the other semi-final.

Thunderbolt of Johor Baru will start as favourites against the Ipoh team having trounced them 6-0 in the league.

The final will be played at the Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh on Sunday.

HOCKEY: BJSS Captain Apologises For Rash Action

BUKIT Jalil Sports School (BJSS) have been improving with every match, but their skipper shot himself in the foot on Sunday, and they will now find their Milo Cup first leg semi-final against UniKL a harrowing experience tomorrow.

They will be playing without their skipper Ahmad Ashraf Alias, who picked up a yellow card in the second leg quarter-finals for deliberately stopping the ball with his foot to break a Malacca High School (MHS) counter attack.

"As captain, I should not have done that, and I apologise to my teammates for not being able to help them in a crucial match" said Ahmad, who started playing with the BJSS Juniors outfit in 2006 and graduated to the senior ranks as skipper this season.

"We narrowly lost to UniKL (3-2) in the league and my absence will further weaken our defence. It will also affect our penalty corner battery as I am the main stopper," said said Ahmad

BJSS qualified for the semi-finals when they trounced MHS 9-2 on aggregate in the quarter-finals while UniKL, who won the overall title in 2010, also reached the semis by a 9-2 aggregate against USM Juniors.

BJSS team manager Jusvinder Pal Singh said they warned Ahmad before the match to stay away from cards, and regretted fielding him in the return leg as they already had a 6-1 advantage after the first encounter.

"It was a silly thing to do, as he should not have kicked the ball deliberately. However, we have capable replacements to cover Ahmad's absence," said Jusvinder.

Division One champions Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (SSTMI)-Thunderbolts will face MBI Anderson in the other semi-final.

Tomorrow -- S-finals, 1st leg: SSTMI-Thunderbolts v MBI-Anderson (5pm), Bukit Jalil SS v UniKL (7pm) -- matches at the National Hockey Stadium. By Jugjet Singh

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Skipper Ahmad To Miss BJSS’ Semi-final Match Against UniKL

KUALA LUMPUR: Five-time double champions Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) will not have their skipper Ahmad Ashraf Alias for the Milo Cup semi-final first-leg against Uni­versiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil tomorrow.

Defender Ahmad has to serve a one-match suspension after collecting his second yellow card in the quarter-final second-leg against Malacca High School at the Kuala Lumpur Hockey Stadium on Sunday.

The 17-year-old Ahmad was flashed the card by umpire Jaswant Singh for deliberately stopping the ball with his foot in the 47th minute.

Ahmad said he regretted his silly action, which will see him miss the important match against a strong UniKL side who finished runners-up in Division One.

“We lost to UniKL (3-2) in the league and my absence will further weaken our defence,” said Ahmad.

“It will also affect our penalty corner battery as I am the main stopper of the team. As captain of the team, I should have set a good example to my team-mates. I apologise to them for getting the card,” said Ahmad, who has been playing for BJSS Juniors since 2006.

BJSS, who finished third in Division One, qualified for the semi-finals when they trounced Malacca High School 9-2 on aggregate in the quarter-finals.

UniKL, who bagged the overall title in 2010, also reached the semis by a 9-2 aggregate against MSSPP-USM.


 Ahmad, a Form Five student, was promoted to the BJSS senior team this season. He is now hoping his team-mates can still put up a good show in a absence.

“Although I won’t be playing, I will be cheering for my team-mates on Wednesday,” said Ahmad.

BJSS team manager Jusvinder Pal Singh (pic) said they have other reliable players to replace Ahmad.

“We expect it to be closely fought match. We need to win the first-leg to put the pressure on them for the return,” said Jusvinder Pal.

Division One champions Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (SSTMI)-Thunderbolt will face MBI-Anderson, who finished fourth in Division One, in the other semi-final first-leg match tomorrow.

HOCKEY: Uphill Task For Anderson

MBI Anderson came back strongly in the second leg Milo Cup quarter-finals to beat Sapura 2-0 to set up a semi-final date with league champions SSTMI Thunderbolts.

Thunderbolts’ Khairol Shafik (left) and MBPJ’s Fitri Hidayat vie for the ball in their Milo Cup second leg quarter-final match yesterday. Pic by Adib Rawi

The first leg ended in a 1-1 draw but the Ipoh school team beat a fighting Sapura with goals from Ashran Hamsani in the 54th and Najib Hassan in the 63rd minute.

However, the semi-finals will be an uphill task for Anderson, as they lost 6-0 to Thunderbolts in the league.

Yesterday, Thunderbolts beat Petaling Jaya Municipal Council 4-0, to win 11-1 on aggregate.

Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) also qualified for the semi-finals after they beat Malacca High School (MHS) 3-1 in the return leg for a 9-2 aggregate win.

BJSS will meet UniKL in the two-leg semi-final on Wednesday and Friday.

UniKL also beat USM Juniors 3-1 in the return leg, for an 9-2 aggregate win.

Yesterday, BJSS took things easy, as they had a 6-1 cushion from the first leg, and scored off Noor Khairul Adnan in the fifth minute.

However, MHS equalised through Zulamirul Akmal in the 23rd minute before BJSS scored two more goals via Redzhwan Jaafar in the 23rd and Fitri Ismail in the 68th.

USM Juniors scored in the 42nd minute off Abdul Muhaimin Aziz who converted a penalty stroke but UniKL equalised when Syafiq Zulzairin scored in the 58th minute while Hafiz Zainol scored two late goals in the 65th and 69th minutes to seal the win.


"We already had a healthy lead after the first leg and there was no need to push the players today (yesterday). The semi-final (against UniKL) will be a touch-and-go match, as I believe both the teams have players capable of turning the tables when presented with opportunity," said BJSS manager Jusvinder Pal Singh.

RESULTS -- Q-finals, 2nd leg: Bukit Jalil Sports School 3 Malacca High School 1 (BJSS win on 9-2 aggragate); USM Juniors 1 UniKL Young Guns 3 (UniKL win on 9-2 aggregate); Petaling Jaya Municipal Council 0 SSTMI Thunderbolts 4 (Thunderbolts win on 11-1 aggregate); MBI Anderson 2 Sapura 0 (Anderson win on 3-1 aggregate).


WEDNESDAY FIXTURES (Feb 29) -- S-finals, 1st leg: SSTMI-Thunderbolts v Sapura/MBI-Anderson (5pm), Bukit Jalil SS vs UniKL (7pm).


March 2 -- S-finals, return leg: UniKL vs Bukit Jalil SS (5pm), Sapura/MBI Anderson v SSTMI Thunderbolts (7.30pm).

n (All semi-final matches at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil).
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Ipoh Side Joins Thunderbolt, BJSS, UniKL In The Milo Cup Semi-finals

KUALA LUMPUR: MBI-Anderson scored two late goals to defeat debutants Sapura 2-0 to qualify for the Milo Cup semi-finals on a 3-1 aggregate at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

The Ipoh team, who finished fourth in Division One, will take on Division One champions Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (SSTMI)-Thunderbolt in the first-leg semi-finals in Bukit Jalil on Wednesday. They play the return leg on Friday.

Meanwhile, reigning overall champions SSTMI-Thunderbolt, beat former champions Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) 4-0 at the Kuala Lumpur Hockey Stadium to qualify for last four on a 11-1 aggregate.

The MBI-Anderson and Sapura match was keenly contested as the first leg had ended 1-1. However, it was the Ipoh team who came alive in the last 16 minutes to score two goals.

Having a go: BJSS’ Mohammad Noor Khairul Azri Adnan (left) and Malacca High School’s Muhammad Aidil Azmi going for the ball during their match at the Kuala Lumpur Stadium yesterday.

Mohd Ashran Hamsani scored the first goal from a field attempt in the 54th minute before Mohd Najib Abu Hassan seal the match with the second goal in the 63rd minute.

With the defeat, Sapura’s hopes of becoming the first Division Two team to reach the semi-finals went up in smoke.

Former five time double champions Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) also qualified for the semi-finals when they defeated Division Two runners-up Malacca High School 3-1 at the Kuala Lumpur Hockey Stadium.

BJSS, who went through on a 9-2 aggregate, face Division One runners-up Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) in the first-leg of the semi-finals at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Wednesday.

BJSS, who won the first-leg 6-1 on Friday, took the lead through Mohd Noor Khairul Azri in the fifth minute before Mohd Zulamirul Akmal Mohd Ali equalised for the Malacca school in the 23rd minute.

BJSS stormed back to score goals through Mohd Redzhwan Jaafar in 31st minute and Mohd Fitri Ismail in the 68th minute.

BJSS team manager Jusvinder Pal Singh said the semi-finals against UniKL would be a touch and go encounter.

“We lost 2-3 to them in the league match but I hope my players will be able to rise to the occasion to get the better of them in the first-leg on Wednesday,” said Jusvinder.UniKL meanwhile, came back from a goal down to beat MSSPP-USM 3-1 at Bukit Jalil to qualify for the semi-finals on a 9-2 aggregate.

USM scored in the 42nd minute through Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Aziz from a penalty stroke.

UniKL equalised in the 58th minute off a field goal from Mohd Syafiq Zulzairin and Mohd Hafiz Zainol scored two late goals in the 65th and 69th minutes to seal the win.

HOCKEY: Sapura-Anderson take centre stage

Spot in the semi-finals is at stake

UniKL players keep a close eye on USM Juniors’ Anwar Abdul Rahman in their quarter-final first leg on Friday. UniKL won 6-1.

WITH three foregone conclusions, the spotlight on the return leg of the Milo Cup Junior Hockey League quarter-finals will be on the Sapura and MBI Anderson match at the Kuala Lumpur HA Stadium today.

Sapura, highly expected to seal a comfortable win in the first leg after an impressive show in Division One, could only hold MBI Anderson to a 1-1 draw.

They were a pale shadow of the unbeaten team who lifted the Division Two title by scoring 42 goals and letting in only two in Group A.

In comparison, MBI Anderson struggled in Division One, finishing fourth after scoring 28 goals and letting in a massive 27.

League champions SSTMI Thunderbolts are cruising on the road to the semi-finals after they hammered Petaling Jaya Municipal Council 7-1, while UniKL Young Guns' run is also unstoppable after they beat USM Juniors 6-1.

Bukit Jalil Sports School have also firmly planted themselves in the semi-finals after a 6-1 show against Malacca High School.

"It was simply amazing how my players muffed four sitters to make the return leg an uphill battle. I can't even call the misses unlucky, because even novice players would have scored off those situations," lamented Sapura coach I. Vickneswaran.

Sapura's job is made tougher by the suspensions of Fadzli Zulkifli and Farid Zuki today.

"The situation does not look favourable, but I have plans on how to make amends, and hopefully, the players stick to the gameplan," said Vickneswaran.

Another unhappy official was UniKL Young Guns's manager Amir Azhar.

"The win (6-1) looked comfortable enough, but I am not satisfied with the way my team played in the first leg. They were floating in and out of the match, and all the departments were not at their best.

"We can't afford this kind of attitude if we want to lay our hands on the Milo Cup," said Amir.

UniKL will be missing the services of Haniff Saidin, while BJSS' Norshafiq Sumantri and PJCC's Faiz Haiqal will not see action in the return leg due to suspensions.



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HOCKEY: Anderson Hold Edge

Sapura waste chances in first leg

Malacca High School’s Ahmad Najmee Roslee (left) keeps the ball away from BJSS’ Muhammad Shahitam Zali at the National Hockey Stadium yesterday. BJSS won 6-1. Pic by Supian Ahmad

 DIVISION Two champions Sapura were shell shocked after they were held 1-1 by MBI Anderson in the Milo Cup quarter-finals at the Kuala Lumpur HA Stadium yesterday.

Anderson, who finished fourth in Division One, soaked up the pressure after coming back from a goal down, and are now aiming to seal a semi-final slot in the return leg tomorrow.

Sapura also lost Fadzli Zulkifli and Farid Zuki to suspension for the return leg.

Harmesh Singh gave Sapura the lead off a penalty corner attempt in the 17th minute, but Helmi Jaffar equalised for Anderson in the 38th, also off a penalty corner attempt.

"Sapura played a robust game to rattle my players, but they ended up losing concentration instead. My players can play better hockey than today (yesterday) and I believe they will be at their best in the return leg," said MBI Anderson coach Dalbir Singh.

Sapura coach I. Vickneswaran was disappointed that his team muffed four open chances.

"When you fail to score four open goals in a match, there is bound to be unnecessary pressure in the return leg. We will also play without two regulars, and that itself is going to make us the underdogs," said Vickneswaran.

League champions SSTMI Thunderbolts virtually qualified for the semi-finals when they hammered Petaling Jaya Municipal Council (PJCC) 7-1.

RESULTS -- Quarter-finals (first leg): SSTMI Thunderbolts 7 Petaling Jaya Municipal Council 1, Sapura 1 MBI-Anderson 1, Malacca High School 1 Bukit Jalil Sports School 6, UniKL Young Guns 6 USM Juniors 1.


TOMORROW -- Return leg: Bukit Jalil Sports School v Malacca High School (Bukit Jalil Pitch II, 4pm), USM Juniors v UniKL Young Guns (KLHA, 4pm), Petaling Jaya Municipal Council v SSTMI Thunderbolts (Bukit Jalil Pitch II, 6pm), MBI-Anderson v Sapura (KLHA, 6pm).

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