One XOX takes TNB Sarawak league crown
KUCHING: The TNB Sarawak Hockey League wrapped up Sunday with a Mens Open final between One XOX and Eleven Warrior.
The hard fought match at the Sarawak Hockey Stadium saw the two Group A rivals fought to a regulation time draw.
One XOX finally prevailed in the tense penalty shootout.
One XOX opened accounts first when Marcello Tulu sounded the boards with a field goal in the 12th mins.
They looked to have the match under control when M. Ridzuan converted a penalty corner in the 25th mins. to give them a 2- 0 lead.
The Army side finally broke through with a minute left in the first half when Iskandar Fahmi Razali scored a field goal.
They would equalized in the 38th min when M. Sufian hammered in a field goal.
The final stanza saw E.W. attacking hard with XOX defending and counter-attacking.
Neither side could score the final blow which led to a penalty shootout.
E.W. struck first with M. Sufian scoring which was matched by XOX captain Anderson Sigat.
Iskandar F. Razali then scored for E.W. which was matched by Mathius R. Sanun.
The thirs series saw E.W.’s M. Asri missing his shot which gave M. Izzat Afifi the opportunity to put XOX ahead.
E.W.’s M. Ashraff also missed his shot but XOX’s Ridzuan made not mistake to give his side a 4-2 shootout win.
“It was our first big final and I guess the nerves got the better of us in the first half,” said Warrior coach Zulkarnaen Muda.
“I knew we could make the final as we have been playing well lately,” he said.
He admitted that he did not want the match to go into a shootout.
“We don’ t h ave enough experience with penalty shootouts so I was really hoping we could score in the last quarter.”
One the whole,, he was pleased with how his side performed.
“We certainly hope to come back again next year,” he added.
Coach Rudi Nazri was pleased to see his side erase last year’s disappointment.
They were the Warriors’ squad that was bounced out of the semifinals in last year’s edition.
They play under the One XOX banner as they are sponsored by the business entity.
“We knew it was going to be a tough match as we our players are in their 30’s and 40’s while the Army side are all young,” said Rudi.
“When they equalized, I just told my players to hang on and try our luck in the shootout,” he said.
The t hi rd place went to Myammar Sea Games’ gold medallist Dangerous Lee Mathew and his Belia Git side.
They downed Kuching Hockey Association with a hattrick from Corian J. Michael.
HAS president Datin Mary Sadiah Zainudding was present for the final as was Dr. Ong Kong Swee, the CEO of SSC and director of the Sports Council.
Also in at tendance was Prof Madya Dato Dr. Shamala Subramanian, the Vice- Pres of the MHC and Terry Walsh, Technical Dir. of the MHC.
Lt. Col. Salmi b. Istikh Ahmad, the C.O. of the 11th Battalion Royal Malay Regiment was also there to support his men.