Keeper Kumar hoping thigh pain is just minor injury

KUALA LUMPUR: National goalkeeper S. Kumar (pic) is having a slight pain in his right thigh and is keeping his fingers crossed that it is just a minor injury.

The 39-year-old Tenaga employee said that he will go for a medical check up at National Sports Science (ISN) in Bukit Jalil tomorrow to know the extent of the injury.

“I will train with the Tenaga team tomorrow morning to see whether I can stretch my right leg,” said Kumar, who picked up the injury in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) match against TNB Thunderbolt at the Tun Razak Hockey Stadium at Jalan Duta on Friday.

“I hope it is just a minor injury as I want to help Tenaga finish runners-up in the Premier Division.

“My services are also needed for the TNB Cup (overall), which starts on Feb 26.”

Kumar, who played well in the World Cup in Bhubaneswar, India, last December, said that he picked up the injury while trying to kick a high ball in the second quarter of the match.

Kumar made his debut in the MHL in 1999 and played for Yayasan Negri Sembilan (YNS) for a year before he joined Tenaga Nasional in 2000.

Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) lead the standings with 25 points from nine matches while Tenaga are a point adrift from 10 matches.

Tenaga, who won the Tan Sri P. Alagendra Cup last month, have two tough matches remaining to play with Maybank today at the Tengku Abdullah Hockey Stadium in Bangi and they wrap up the fixtures against Terengganu on Feb 22.

Kumar added that they needed to collect full points against the Tigers to finish second in the Premier Division.

“I hope I can play against Maybank,” said Kumar, who is the second Tenaga player to get injured.

Two weeks ago, national defender Syed Mohamed Syafiq Syed Cholan fractured his wrist in the MHL match.