Narrow escape for league leaders Terengganu
KUALA LUMPUR: Double champions Terengganu were lucky to escape with a 1-1 draw against Tenaga Nasional in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) Premier Division match at the Kuala Lumpur Hockey Stadium.
Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC), meanwhile, came back from a goal down to hammer Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM)-KPT 9-1 for their seventh win at the Tun Razak Stadium yesterday.
Terengganu and KLHC are tied on 23 points from nine matches but the east coast team top the eight team standings on goal difference.
Terengganu, who outplayed Tenaga 6-1 in the first-round match last week, failed to play to their true ability yesterday.
Although they took an early lead through Muhd Firhan Ashaari in the 10th minute, they failed to capitalise on their superiority.
Tenaga, with an all-local squad, gave them a good fight and equalised through Mohd Ramadan Rosli in the 49th minute.
Terengganu coach Sarjit Singh said his players wasted a number of sitters.
“Credit to Tenaga for playing well and their goalkeeper S. Kumar was in his element.
“We’re not too worried about other teams’ results. I just want my team to stay focus and do well in the remaining five matches,” said Sarjit.
Muhd Razie Abdul Rahim (9th, 44th), Mohd Syamim Yusof (11th, 57th) and Anton Poul Fritz Ebeling (39th, 60th) each scored a brace for KLHC while Muhd Haziq Samsul (24th), Muhammad Umar Bhutta (41st) and Nabil
Fiqri Mohd Noor (49th) contributed the other goals.
Muhd Shahfirul Aqmal Saiful replied for UiTM-KPT in the sixth minute.
Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) maintained their third spot a 0-0 draw against TNBThunderbolt at the Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School pitch in Johor.