NST Online: Sports

Football: Defensive blunder lets Malaysia down

Posted: 28 Jul 2011 05:32 PM PDT

2011/07/29
Reports by Ajitpal Singh and Devinder Singh
nstsport@nstp.com.my

THERE is no question where the blame lies for Malaysia's exit from the World Cup Asian zone qualifiers as far as Safee Sali is concerned.

Another defensive blunder in the second leg yesterday allowed Singapore to claim a 1-1 draw at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil and reach the third round on a 6-4 aggregate success.

The third round draw will be held in Brazil tomorrow.

Malaysia paid dearly for a catastrophic display in the first leg at the Jalan Besar Stadium where they lost 5-3. And even Safee's three goals over the two matches could not prevent the national team's premature exit in the qualifiers.

"This is a very disappointing result," said Safee after the game.

"I want to apologise to the Malaysian public and the fans here for our failure. We tried as hard as we could but after we led 1-0, we lost concentration in defence.

"It was yet another mistake by the defence which led to their goal," added Safee, who gave Malaysia hope when he drilled home a shot from the edge of the box in the 58th minute.

Questions will be raised over whether centre-back Aidil Zafuan Radzak was fit to start after having to be substituted with just 22 minutes, limiting coach K. Rajagobal's tactical options.

Muslim Ahmad came on to resume his partnership with Fadhli Shas but poor marking allowed Aleksandar Duric, so lethal in the first leg, to head backwards unchallenged to Shi Jiayi who had the easiest task of slotting to the right of goalkeeper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat in the 72nd minute.

Had it not been for Fahmi, Malaysia could have been severely embarrassed with the goalkeeper pulling off two fine saves in the first half from Qiu Li and Duric, who were both aided by poor offside decisions of the assistant referee.

Fahmi produced a finger-tip save from a Shaiful Esah free-kick and then denied Qiu Li in a one-on-one situation to keep Malaysia in the game.

But even as Malaysia tried to push for the two goals they needed, substitute Ahmad Fakri Saarani's double booking ended the match as a contest.

"It's not the result I wanted, we should have won the match," said Rajagobal.

"At certain times we did well, I was happy with the second-half performance. When we got the first goal it was game on. We should have got the second but injuries (to Singapore players) delayed our momentum.

"With the (Singapore) players lying on the ground, it disrupted our tempo and flow. There is a lot of room for improvement, we had another lapse of concentration.

"Having to change Aidil probably didn't help the defence to settle down but we tried hard to attack."

The absence of captain Safiq Rahim through suspension and striker Norshahrul Idlan Talaha through injury hit Malaysia hard.

"We did not have Safiq and Norshahrul. Going into the game in this situation was not easy.

"Credit should be give to the players for trying, they will learn from this. Also I want to thank the fans for having the belief in us and turning out in such big numbers."

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Hockey: Nabil, Kelvinder help KL to title

Posted: 28 Jul 2011 05:25 PM PDT

2011/07/29
JUGJET SINGH
nstsport@nstp.com.my

KL players celebrate winning the Razak Cup title after beating Pahang 1-0 in the final at the Serindit Stadium in Malacca yesterday.

THE lethal combination of Kelvinder Singh and Nabil Fiqri gave Kuala Lumpur their 19th Razak Cup title when they edged a fighting Pahang 1-0 at Bukit Serindit Stadium in Malacca yesterday.

KL looked lost during regulation play as they failed to break a stout Pahang defence, and the match went into extra-time.

Pahang, who have yet to lift the title after 49 attempts, looked deadly though Ismail Abu's counter-attacks during the first seven minutes of sudden-death play.

However, KL weathered the storm and gained control of the attack in the next half as Kelvinder came back onto the pitch after a breather.

Kelvinder's first pass to Nabil in the 80th minute was wasted as the latter failed to connect home.

However, a second reverse stick attempt from Kelvinder two minutes later found Nabil facing an open goal-mouth and he had the easiest of tasks to tap the ball in end KL's misery.

"It was our toughest match of the tournament but still, I'm proud of my players who kept their composure and never stopped playing until they nailed the winner," said KL coach I. Vickneswaran.

Meanwhile, Negri Sembilan were crowned Division Two champions when they edged Selangor 1-0.

The solitary goal by Azraie Azizan off a penalty corner attempt in the 48th minute was enough to earn Negri promotion to Division One next year.

"Selangor are a good team and they have speedy forwards. We knew we had to stop them especially down the middle if we are to have a chance. And it worked. I am happy for players. We have worked very hard in the entire tournament to emerge champions," said Negri coach S. Chandran.

"In doing so, we prove that being in the Second Division doesn't mean we have to give up hope. We fought all the way through and today's (yesterday's) win is ample reward."

RESULTS -- Div 1, Final: Kuala Lumpur 1 Pahang 0; 3rd-4th: Armed Forces 3 Terengganu 4.

Div 2, Final: Negri Sembilan 1 Selangor 0; 3rd-4th: Perlis 0 Kedah 3.

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Kredit: www.nst.com.my

Khamis, 28 Julai 2011

NST Online: Sports

NST Online: Sports

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