Sapura overwhelms Nur Insafi by 2-0 to sneak into the MHL semi-finals
Sapura powered a convincing 2-0 win over Nur Insafi Penang to secure a place in the semi-final round of the Malaysian Hockey League (MHL). The second-leg quarter-final was played at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil on October 15.
After losing the first-leg, Sapura required a convincing victory to uphold its further qualification in the league.
Both teams walked into the field during a drizzle. The weather was cool but that did not make the game any cooler.
The opposing strikers went violent from the very early minutes of the game.
Sapura required a goal to settle its nerves by equalising the aggregate that was crucial for it to secure a berth in the next stage.
In search of an opening goal, Sapura put up an aggressive game while playing dangerous moves against its opponents.
Conversely, the players from Nur Insafi were not sitting inactively and letting the game pass without any action.
12 minutes into the game, Damandeep Singh of Nur Insafi attempted to convert a short corner but to no avail.
Khairulnizam Ibrahim, Sapura’s custodian, brilliantly tackled the ball in front of the goal.
In a matter of six minutes, Sapura received a short corner, but again it did not take advantage of this superb opportunity. Nur Insafi’s goalie, Ezuan Ghazali, dived to deny the drag flicking shot of Jiwa Mohan.
In the rebound attempt, Izwan Firdaus Ahmad Tajuddin volleyed the ball into the goal, making it 1-0 for Sapura.
Once again Damandeep drove the ball before the goalie but he preferred to play a passing game instead of hitting a direct shot.
Megat Azrafiq Megat Termizi of Sapura in one-on-one play dodged the attacker to clear the ball from the dangerous zone.
The custodian of Nur Insafi deflected a direct shot played by Izwan Firdaus (Sapura) from top of the circle.
Referee awarded a yellow card to Mohd Fitri Abu Bakar in the 26th minute of the mark and forced Sapura to play with only ten players. The reduction in number did not demoralise Sapura and it upheld its dominant game.
The first half of play concluded with Sapura hanging onto the top by 1-0.
The second frame also started with a similar pace, as the duo line-ups strived to take the results in their favour.
Nur Hrsikesa Thaichana Murthi of Nur Insafi missed the second short corner it earned in the 47th minute that could be a match turning point.
With 11 minutes remaining on the clock, Joel van Huizen tapped the ball into the goal, making it 2-0.
Despite Nur Insafi receiving a couple of short corners in the waning minutes, it failed to avail the opportunities and lost the match at 2-0.
With victory in its hands, Sapura is most likely to play the semi-finals against Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), a much convincing one, crushing Nur Insafi's morale.
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