Sunday, December 6, 2015

Razak Cup: Malacca the new champions

MALACCA dethroned Perak 1-0 to become the new Razak Cup Division One champions with a single strike from Dedy Ariyadi at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.
  It was only Malacca's third Razak Cup title in 53 Editions, as they last won in 2005 and then 2009. Perak were back-to-back champions in 2013 and 2014.
  "It was a super effort from my players and credit is due to the entire team for playing with sheer determination and grit. This is a historic moment as the Razak Cup has always eluded our grips," said Malacca coach S. Velappan.
  Perak were all over Malacca in the first two quarters but national juniors goalkeeper Ridzwan Azmi kept them in the game with some super saves.
  And on the other half, goalkeeper Roslan Jamaluddin was hardly tested, but a 30th minute deflection from Dedy Ariyadi gave Malacca the much needed lead.
  It was Malacca's first shot at goal in 30 minutes of play.  
  Perak never gave up and kept attacking, and in the 39th minute goalkeeper Ridzwan was yellow carded for a bad tackle and replaced with second goalkeeper Hanafi Hassan.
  Malacca then held onto the one-goal lead with sheer grit, and and walked away as the new champions.
  The Division One bronze medal match went to shoot-out, after Johor and Kuala Lumpur ended 2-2 at regulation time.
   Syamim Yusof (3rd) and Harvinder Singh (58th) scored for KL, while Syafiq Zain (28th) and Faiz Helmi Jali (56th) scored for Johor.
  In the shoot-out KL won 3-2 and pocketed RM7,000 while Johor received RM5,000.
  In Division Two, Police lifted the title when they beat Selangor 6-2. The win came with RM5,000 as well as a first time promotion to Division one next year. From Division One, eighth placed team Penang will be relegated to Division Two.
  Baljit Singh Sarjab almost single handedley won the title for Police as he scored three goals yesterday to being his overall total to 17 goals.
  RESULTS: Division One: Final -- Perak 0 Malacca 1; Third-Fourth: Kuala Lumpur 2 Johor 2 (KL win shoot-out 3-2).
  Division Two: Final: Police 6 Selangor 2.
  ROLL of HONOUR: Division One: Man-of-the-match: B. Namasivayam (Malacca); Best Goalkeeper: Hairi Abdul Rahman (Johor); Best Player: Dedy Ariyadi (Malacca); Top Scorer: Faizal Shaari (Terengganu, 15 goals).
  Division Two: Man-of-the-match: Azreen Rizal (Police); Best Goalkeeper: Zaid Ibrahim (Police); Best Player: Nabil Fitri (Police); Top Scorer: Baljit Singh Sarjab (Police, 17 goals).
  Final placing: Division One: 1 Malacca (RM10,000), 2 Perak (RM7,000), 3 Kuala Lumpur (RM5,000), 4 Johor, 5 Pahang, 6 Negri Sembilan, 7 Terengganu, 8 Penang.
  Division Two: 1 Police (RM5,000), 2 Selangor (RM3,000), 3 Kelantan (RM2,000).