Nur Insafi thrashed Sapura by 2-1 in the 2011 MHL Quarter-final
Nur Insafi defeated Sapura by a small margin of 2-1 in the quarter-final round of the Malaysian Hockey League (MHL) played at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil, Malaysia, on Wednesday, October 12, 2011.
Nur Insafi showed the defending runner-up, Sapura, that if it wants to win the knockout stage, it has to put in its best effort.
Nur Insafi not only created an upset but also secured a berth in the semi-final round.
The jam-packed stadium witnessed a rejuvenated Nur Insafi side that had its eyes set on victory after a shaky performance in the Premier Division.
The underdogs were playing with a fully fledged striking line-up, comprised of both, young and experienced players.
It is vital to mention here that Sapura had beaten Nur Insafi by 7-0 in their Premier Division clash.
In a shocking state of mind, Sapura’s coach, I. Vikneswaran, said that they lost the game, owing to their extensive fouls and errors.
He underlined, “Nur Insafi capitalised on our mistakes. This is sports –sometimes you win and sometimes it is just not your day. I need to make changes as Kuhan is suspended for the second leg”.
As the two teams marched into the field, they were offensive from the very first strike to the puck.
Contrary to expectations, Nur Insafi drew the first blood in the 14th minute of the match.
Damandeep Singh drove the ball into the left flank of the circle and volleyed a powerful hit sending it right into the corner of the goal.
Khairulnizam Ibrahim, Sapura’s custodian, had no chance, whatsoever, to save the shot at any point.
The goal left a bad mark, shaking the confidence of the talented Sapura side.
Jiwa Mohan converted a short corner in the 21st minute of the play but to no avail. Referee R. Anbanathan ruled out the attempt, citing the ball did not sound the board.
Sapura had to play with ten players as Nor Hanape Omar was awarded a yellow card and sent out of the field.
In a matter of one minute, Mohammad Rasyid Mohd Hazar (Nur Insafi) endeavoured to double the tally but missed the target by only a few centimeters.
The first half of the play concluded with Nur Insafi leading the game at 1-0.
After missing a few chances, Mohammad Harris Fadzila Zulkafli scored a field goal in the 47th minute of the mark and enhanced the lead to 2-0.
The duo contested the game quite carefully in order to reduce the chances of fouls. With two minutes left on the clock, Megat Azrafiq Megat Termizi whacked a short corner to decrease Nur Insafi’s advantage.
As the final whistle blew, Nur Insafi comfortably walked into the semi-final round with 2-1 victory.
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