University Kuala Lumpur to face Maybank in MHL knockout stage
University Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) will take on Maybank in the quarter-final round of the Malaysian Hockey League (MHL) on October 12, 2011, at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil, Malaysia.
Both, UniKL and Maybank, faced each other in the Premier Division that ended in a two-all draw.
Although the former had the opportunity to earn complete three points, UniKL failed to convert a penalty stroke in the concluding minutes.
Maybank is currently holding fourth place in the Premier Division. It won four out of eight games, lost three and drew in one fixture. It scored 23 goals while conceding 16.
Despite being fully aware of the opponent’s potential, winning the quarter-final stage is Wallace Tan’s (the Maybank Coach) utmost desire.
Speaking to the reporters, Tan said that they will have to avail all the opportunities in the game.
He commented, “It will be a close contest and what is important is taking the chances that are created. I expect them to play their usual fast blend of hockey, allowing us to come at them and hitting back through fast counter attacks”.
In his view, the victory against UniKL will not only push them into the second-leg but also encourage the youngsters.
The Maybank line-up will rely on Hairul Nizam Abdul Rani and Mohd Zulhairi Hashim, as both helped their team in the past fixtures as well.
On the other hand, UniKL has only two victories to its credit, out of eight matches. It managed four draws while losing two games in the first phase of the league, conceding 22 goals while scoring only 19.
UniKL's Team Manager, Amir Azhar Ibrahim, was of the opinion that his team is not expecting strong resistance from Maybank in the quarter-final.
However, the manager added that Maybank's capability cannot be undermined, especially after its performance against TNB.
The Manager claimed, “Maybank are a very good side and one just has to look at the manner in which they disposed off TNB to analyze their ability. Their strength is playing as a unit and in Wallace they have a crafty coach that will surely have something
up his sleeve”.
The team, comprising youngsters and experienced players, is capable of moving into the second leg. Mohd Ramadhan's and Mohd Noor Faaez's performances will be worth watching in this crucial quarter-final, as they aim to whitewash the other.
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