Wednesday, July 27, 2011

PAHANG, KL MAKE RAZAK CUP FINAL




National player Mohd Amin Rahim atoned for his penalty stroke miss to score the winning goal to steer Kuala Lumpur into the final of the Division One when they edged Terengganu 2-1 in the semis played at the MPMBB Stadium in Bukit Serindit this evening.

And joining them in the final are Pahang who showed clinical finishing to defeat Armed Forces 3-1 in the other semifinal.

The two teams last played in a final in 1997 where KL defeated Pahang. And in between the posts at that time was Izwan Suhardi Selamat who is the coach of the Pahang team.

For KL, their last defeat in the final was against Perak in 1998 and this will be their 22nd time playing in the final. And they only lost three out of the 21 finals.

KL were awarded a penalty stroke in the 28th minute, at a timr when Terengganu were already 1-0 up, thanks to a goal by Mohd Faisal Saari who scored from a penalty corner.

But Amin's attempt was weak and easily saved by Terengganu custodian Mohd Hafizuddin.

It was Amin's first penalty stroke miss since 2006 where he missed the stroke in the penalty shootout of the MHL final against E&Y.

But that did not dampen the spirit of the defending champions as they were on level terms in the 32nd minute through Nabil Fiqri Mohd Nor, who broke through on the right and set a reverse stick attempt sailing into goal.

Amin made up for his penalty stroke miss by converting a penalty corner in the 57th minute. And although Mahinder singh was presented with two sitters in the closing stages, he sent both his shots sailing over the bar.

But KL were already safely through as Terengganu failed to trouble the city defence where Baljit Singh, Amin and Mohd Razie Andul Rahim were rock steady.

For Pahang, their experienced players in the likes of Ismail Abu, Mohd Sallehin Abdul Ghani, and Ahmad Kazamirul Nasaruddin made the difference against a hard working Forces side that lack technical skills.


Pahang opened scoring in the 9th minute through Kazamirul who converted a penalty corner. They doubled their advantage in the 17th minute through Mohd Hafiz Zainol. But Hafiz will sit out of the final after picking up a green card late in the game and has now collected eight demerit points thus being suspended for one match.

Armed Forces reduced the deficit in the 28th minute through Ahmad Ridzwan Zainal Abidin off a penalty corner.

But Pahang sealed their place with a goal in the 58th minute Mohd Aminuddin Abu.