Malaysia

BY S. RAMAGURU

KUALA LUMPUR: Two surprise results in last weekend's matches have turned the Malaysian Hockey League title run into a five-horse race.

Defending league champions Sapura, who took over the lead from Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) on Friday, are now two points clear and very much in control of the title race.

But they have Tenaga Nasional, Ernst and Young, BSN and Maybank hot on their heels. And these teams will be out for big margin of victories against the weaker sides.

Ernst and Young coach K. Dharmaraj said that the winners of the title would be the ones who kept a winning run in the remaining five matches.


Ernst and Young midfielder K. Logan Raj (left) tussles for the ball with BSN's Mohamed Razie in their MHL match at the National Hockey Stadium yesterday.
“After the first two weeks, it appeared as though Tenaga and BSN would be the ones to make the run to the title. But two results over the weekend have turned the race around and goal difference could decide the winners,” he said.

The two results he was referring to were Ernst and Young's 3-2 win over BSN and Telekom Malaysia's 1-1 draw with Tenaga on Sunday.

Sapura have 15 points from six matches while Tenaga and Ernst and Young have 13 points each. BSN remain on 12 points while Maybank are on 10.

Telekom have nine points but their match against RMR was abandoned on Friday and will be replayed tomorrow. They are likely to add another three points to their tally.

Sapura coach Tai Beng Hai said that it was good that there were more teams now in the run for the title.

“It will not be of interest to anybody if just two teams are in contention for the title. Now there is more pressure on the top teams.”

Sapura in the opening week had lost to 2-3 to BSN and needed the others to drop points for them to keep their title defence alive.

Their chances will be better defined after their match against Tenaga on Friday. Tenaga are the only unbeaten team in the league.

Tenaga coach K. Rajan said: “At this stage, any defeat would be fatal for us. After Sapura, we still have matches against BSN and Ernst and Young. Sapura also need to win and it will be a big game for us on Friday.”

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