NST Online: Sports

Posted: 07 Jul 2011 11:27 AM PDT

2011/07/07
By Devinder Singh

Kelantan fans must be basking in glory as their team are dominating Malaysian football. — Picture by Datu Ruslan Sulai

A THREE-YEAR plan to win major honours has come to fruition after Kelantan cemented their place as a new power in Malaysian football by winning their maiden Super League title.

Proving that last year's Malaysia Cup triumph -- Kelantan's first major domestic honour -- was no flash-in-the-pan was always going to be difficult but they have certainly done it.

Having displayed a level of consistency unmatched by any other team this season after losing three key players from last season's squad, Kelantan have truly arrived on the big stage.

Few are aware that Kelantan only joined mainstream Malaysian football in 1951 and the years in between saw lean pickings.

Kelantan emerged East Zone winners eight times between 1959 to 1971, in the years when the Malaysia Cup was held on a zonal basis.

Only twice did Kelantan reach the Malaysia Cup final -- in 1955 and 1970 -- which came after they won their first silverware, the FAM Cup in 1953.

It was not until 2000 that they lifted another trophy when they won the Premier 2 title but two quick relegations followed and Kelantan found themselves playing in the third-tier FAM League in 2005.

They duly returned to the Premier League, winning the FAM Cup for a second time, before winning promotion to the Super League in 2008.

Their attempt to win a Cup double in 2009 was thwarted by Selangor in the final of the FA Cup and Negri Sembilan in the Malaysia Cup but there was no denying Kelantan in the 2010 Malaysia Cup final when they avenged their defeat to Negri.

After losing this year's FA Cup final to Terengganu, a determination not to let slip another trophy propelled Kelantan to win their remaining two league matches to add a new chapter to their resurgence.

"We are thankful for winning the Super League title for the first time. The league title is an important honour and we have always set it as one of our goals.

"The players have played to their best of ability all-season long and we have gone through many trials and tribulations to reach this point.

"Our three-year effort to reach the summit of Malaysian football has finally proved successful," said Kelantan FA president Tan Sri Annuar Musa after Kelantan beat Sabah 2-1 at Likas Stadium on Wednesday.

A huge part of Kelantan's success this year is down to coach M. Karathu, who celebrated a league title win for the first time in his career.

After losing Indra Putra Mahayuddin, Azizi Matt Rose and Norfarhan Mohammad to T-Team, Karathu was able to mould a side capable of challenging for honours and even introduced youngster Izuan Solahuddin to the first team.

The likes of Farisham Ismail and Shakir Shaari have also broken into the national team, which already boasts Khairul Fahmi Che Mat, S. Chanturu and Norshahrul Idlan Talaha.

Only one thing spoilt Kelantan's title celebration when Norsharul, who scored twice against Sabah, missed out on the top scorer's honour after Terengganu's Hadi Yahya scored four goals on the final day to edge Norshahrul 20 goals to 19.

"Missing out on the Golden Boot is disappointing. It was something I had wanted but having lost it, I'll use this to spur me to get it next season. But I'm still glad that we are the league champions," said Norshahrul, who also struck four times in the FA Cup for 23 goals in all competitions.

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Sweden, Australia into last eight

Posted: 07 Jul 2011 07:42 AM PDT

BERLIN: Australia join Sweden, the USA and Brazil in the quarter-finals of the women's World Cup after the Matildas sent former champions Norway home with a shock 2-1 win on Wednesday.

The Australians will now play Sweden in tomorrow's quarter-final in Augsburg after two goals from Kyah Simon saw her team come from behind in Leverkusen against Norway.

Elise Thorsnes had put Norway ahead with a 56th minute goal, but a minute later Simon grabbed the equaliser before the 20-year-old Sydney FC forward sealed victory with a header three minutes from time.

"There was a lot of courage and commitment shown out there," said Australia coach Tom Sermanni. "I was very deflated when they scored the first goal, but it was critical that we scored straight afterwards."

Sweden later stunned two-time winners the USA with a 2-1 victory in Wolfsburg.

Sweden's victory gives them a perfect 100 percent record from three games and leaves them as Group C winners, while the USA go through as runners-up.

The Stars and Stripes now face Brazil in Dresden in a mouth-watering tie on Sunday.

Sweden took the lead when midfielder Lisa Dahlkvist netted a penalty after 15 minutes and the Swedes extended their lead on 35 minutes when captain Nilla Fischer fired in a free-kick which deflected off a US player.

The Americans pulled a goal back when veteran forward Abby Wambach netted in the 67th minute for the 1991 and 1999 world champions, but it was not enough.

Brazil marched into the last eight as three second-half goals gave the south Americans a convincing 3-0 victory over Equatorial Guinea in Frankfurt that secured top spot in Group D for the 2007 runners-up.

Erika struck in the 49th minute and Cristiane doubled the advantage on the 54-minute mark before completing a brace with a penalty in injury time.

Equatorial Guinea exit their first World Cup with zero points.

Both North Korea and Colombia were eliminated after they ground out a goalless draw in their final Group C game in Bochum.

In tomorrow's quarter-finals, defending champions Germany will play Japan in Wolfsburg while England take on France in Leverkusen. -- AFP

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Kredit: www.nst.com.my

Khamis, 7 Julai 2011

NST Online: Sports

NST Online: Sports

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