Bandar Penawar Sports School-Thunderbolt to play third Malaysian Junior Hockey League finals
Bandar Penawar Sports School (BPSS)-Thunderbolt have been qualified for the finals of the Malaysian Junior Hockey League (MJHL) for consecutively the third time. They will face University Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) on Saturday, May 21 at the Tun Razak Hockey Stadium.
It is vital to mention here that the BPSS-Thunderbolt had played the finals of the MJHL in the last two editions. In the last year, they lifted the Division One trophy, but lost to UniKL by a single goal, 2-1 in the overall finals of the league. In 2009,
they qualified for the finals, but lost to Bukit Jalil Sports School at 3-3 deadlock in the extra time.
Interestingly, the same two squads were in the finals of the Division One in the current league where UniKL defeated BPSS-Thunderbolt.
Faiz Helmi Jali, the captain of the BPSS-Thunderbolt while speaking to the media said that they had been disappointed for playing a number of finals without victory. He said, “We have never won the overall title since making our debut in the MJHL in 2000.
And we are all fired up to win it.”
Helmi Jali, who made his debut in 2006, wants to get revenge from UniKL to whom they lost the Division One game this year and overall finals last year. They missed the Division One game after the contest that concluded at one-all draw and UniKL took the
title on goal-difference.
The skipper further informed that it will be his last finals in the junior league, thus he wanted to clinch the trophy for his team. As per the directives from the coach namely Wan Mohd Roslan Wan Abdul Rahman, they will play striking game in order to take
UniKL down, the defender added.
The captain welcomed the rejoining of their national player, Mohd Firhan Ashaari to further strengthen their attacking line.
It is vital to explain here that the 18-year-old Mohd Firhan Ashaari missed the quarter-final and semi-final matches after he selected in the national side for the 20th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup. He is one of the best scorers in the MJHL who lit lamp
ten times thus far.
Commenting on the final game, the skipper stated that the opposite team of UniKL would have more pressure, as they would defend their title. He maintained, “We have to stay on our toes throughout the match as UniKL have a solid team with a number of Project
2013 players.”
In the concluding lines, the skipper said that they would have to avoid giving short-corners, as UniKL has had the services of Mohd Zulhairi Hashim. Zulhairi is one of the top goal-scorers in the league with seventeen to his tally.
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