Terengganu eye final spot in Razak Cup despite the absence of key players

KUALA LUMPUR: Two-time champions Terengganu don’t have their strongest side but they are still hoping to reach their third consecutive final in the Razak Cup hockey tournament starting on Oct 26 at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

The East coast team, who won the tournament in 2012 and 2016, will be without two national forwards Faizal Saari and Muhd Firhan Ashaari, both playing in the ongoing Asian Champions Trophy in Muscat, Oman.

National goalkeeper Muhd Hafizuddin Othman (pic) is also doutbful as he is down with a hamstring injury and will undergo a medical test on Monday to see whether he can play for Terengganu in the country’s oldest hockey tournament.

To make matters worse, two youngsters Mohd Akhimullah Anuar Esook and Syarman Mat Tee – who helped Malaysia to win the gold in the Youth Olympics Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina, last Sunday – will skip the Razak Cup to focus on their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations, which begin next month.

Faizal’s younger brother Fitri, who opted out of the Asian Champions Trophy in Oman because of his Universiti Malaya convocation on Oct 23, will lead the Terengganu team.

Last year, Terengganu lost to Perak in the final in Ipoh. And in 2016, Terengganu outplayed Police 3-0 in the final to win the title.

The 25-year-old Fitri, who will marshall the midfield, said that the challenge will be for Terengganu to reach the semi-finals despite the absence of several experienced players.

“We’ll be without two national strikers and this would pose a problem for us to score goals. We’re also drawn in a tough group against Johor, Malacca and Penang.

“But we’ll take it one match at a time and hope for the best,” said Fitri.

Eight teams will feature in Division One and Terengganu – coached by former international Chairil Anwar – are drawn in Group B with Johor, Malacca and Penang while defending champions Perak are in Group A with Kuala Lumpur, Negri Sembilan and Perlis.