NST Online: Sports

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 07:20 PM PDT

2011/08/29
By Jugjet Singh

Fitri Saari is still in a daze.

PROJECT 2013 players, Fitri Saari, 18, and Amir Farid, 20, couldn't believe their ears when they were chosen for the inaugural Asian Champions Trophy in Ordos, China on Sept 3-11.

The duo had only joined the senior side for a week of training, and played a few minutes against Japan in the Five-Series friendlies but impressed coach Tai Beng Hai to win their places.

"I'm still in a daze as I did not expect to be selected for the Asian Champions Trophy after just one week with the seniors," said Fitri, whose brother Faizal Saari is also with the national seniors.

Amir, who was also stunned, said: "I felt that I did not have any chance of playing in Ordos, but now that I have been selected, I will give my best."

Both the players, together with Faizal, will play in the Junior World Cup Qualifier in Malacca next May.

When asked how they felt after upstaging more experienced players for their places in the senior squad, Amir said: "I am honoured to be selected over some seasoned players and I feel this chance to play against the best teams in Asia should give us an added advantage when we play in the Junior World Cup Qualifier."

In Ordos, Malaysia are ranked second behind Asian Games champions Pakistan. However, South Korea are expected to be Malaysia's main rivals for a place in the final.

It will be uphill for Malaysia in Ordos as the team are without former skipper Azlan Misron (left out due to injury), while forward Hafifi Hafiz has opted out due to personal reasons and Kelvinder Singh has to stay back to continue his fitness programme.

The tournament does not offer any ranking points and this initiative by the Asian Hockey Federation is some 20 years too late as European teams have progressed tremendously by playing regularly among themselves.

Malaysia are building a team for the Champions Challenge I in South Africa on Nov 26-Dec 4 which provides valuable ranking points. The national players need to finish in the top-five among eight teams to move up from their present 15th, to 12th in the world.

For the Champions Challenge I, Malaysia are in Group B with Canada, Argentina and Japan. Group A comprises New Zealand, South Africa, Belgium and Poland.

ASIAN CHAMPIONS TROPHY: Sept 3: Pakistan v Malaysia; Sept 4: South Korea v Malaysia; Sept 6: China v Malaysia; Sept 7: Malaysia v India; Sept 9: Malaysia v Japan.

Soldado show in Valencia

Posted: 28 Aug 2011 07:18 PM PDT

MADRID: A dramatic late double strike saw Roberto Soldado complete a hat-trick as Valencia beat Racing Santander 4-3 having appeared to be heading for defeat as the new La Liga season finally got underway on Saturday.

The season was supposed to start a week ago but a strike of a different kind -- as players downed tools over wages -- meant it was delayed for the first time in 27 years.

Hosts Valencia are aiming to consolidate after their third place finish last season despite losing a key player in Juan Mata to Chelsea but they lacked shape and rhythm in their first league game of the season.

It started well with Soldado sliding the ball home after keeper Antonio Rodriguez spilled a Pablo Hernandez shot after just one minute but he went on to head into his own goal six minutes later before Lautaro Acosta gave Racing the lead after 14 minutes.

The game appeared to be going away from Valencia as Adrian Gonzalez took advantage of a poor defensive clearance to add to Racing's lead on 56 minutes but then defender Adil Rami reduced the deficit (58).

Soldado turned the game on its head with two quickfire clinical finishes after 88 and 90 minutes.

"It was a victory that came with a lot of effort and there are a lot of lessons to be learnt," said Valencia coach Unai Emery.

"The most important thing is that we learn from the mistakes and improve in defence. Otherwise, generally we created plenty of chances to score but we did not make the most of them."

There was also a late goal from Ruben Castro who gave Real Betis a 1-0 victory against Granada in the battle between newly promoted sides.

Betis appear better equipped to cope in the top flight after spending just a year in the second tier of Spanish football where they impressed with the quality of their play, but they struggled to create chances in a hard-fought encounter.

Alvaro Vadillo on the wing for Betis was the liveliest player on the pitch in the first half but a resolute home defence kept Betis a bay.

The match appeared to be heading for a stalemate before Castro fired home three minutes from time.

Earlier a double from Imanol Agirretxe gave ten-man Real Sociedad a 2-1 victory over Sporting Gijon.

Sporting had the second worst scoring record in the last campaign with just 35 goals and while they had the greater possession early on they created little danger and it was the visitors who went ahead from a well-worked move.

After a neat exchange in midfield the ball was played to Carlos Martinez who crossed for Agirretxe to head home after 34 minutes.

The 24-year-old striker headed in his second mid-way through the second half but a penalty conceded by Martinez, for which he was red-carded, gave Miguel De las Cuevas the chance to pull it back to 2-1 after 68 minutes.

Real clung on, however, as Sporting defender Alberto Lora was also dismissed for a second yellow card in the last minute. -- AFP

Kredit: www.nst.com.my

Ahad, 28 Ogos 2011

NST Online: Sports

NST Online: Sports

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