Malaysian Striker Faizal Saari looking for a hat-trick against YNS in MHL quarter-final
Faizal Saari, the Malaysian striker and the only player of the 2011 MHL who marked three hat-tricks of goals in the Premier Divisions, is hoping to strike a hat-trick against YNS in the quarter-final to claim his title as the top scorer of the league.
He was the highest scorer in the Malaysian Junior Hockey League (MJHL) back in 2010 when he represented Bandar Penawar Sports School (BPSS)-Thunderbolt. He lit the lamp 16 times and assisted his team to earn the third place in the MJHL Division One.
Faizal, who donned the colours at the junior level, is aiming for similar glories at the senior theatre.
The 20-year-old player is currently escalating the ranking of Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) with his outstanding performances.
He set the highest record of scoring 14 goals in the eight games of the Premier Division.
Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin, veteran striker from Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC), currently holding 11 goals, is looking to surpass the youngster.
Faizal Saari is a brilliant drag flicker and short corner expert. However, he was unimpressive in the opening game.
Out of total 16, Faizal obtained five goals on penalty conversions and eight from field effort. He scored only a single penalty stroke in the first phase of the league.
The youngster, also part of the national side and having earned 64 international caps, is quite satisfied with his performance and conversion rate.
Speaking to the media, he was of the opinion that the experience in the Australian Hockey League (AHL) had polished his goal-scoring abilities.
He stated, “Playing in the Australian League for Southern Hotshots in August has boosted my confidence and sharpened my scoring instincts.”
Faizal Saari is the only player of the 2011 MHL who marked three hat-tricks of goals in the Premier Divisions.
His targeted teams were Yayasan Negeri Sembilan (YNS), University Technology Mara (UiTM) and Armed Forces Airod.
In the quarter-final stage, TNB will play against YNS, former champions of the league.
Faizal intends to clutch another hat-trick in the first leg in order to confirm his top-scorer award.
He underlined, “I need to score another five or six goals to win the award. We beat YNS 3-0 in the league match and I am confident we can beat them again and qualify for the semi-finals.”
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