News for 17 March 2009
Tuesday, 17 March 2009 09:33 | 
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All the news for Tuesday 17 March 2009
South Africa steps up their game to test Germany
By Karl Oftebro
The South Africans started the game like a house on fire and went into the lead as early as the 6th minute after Gareth Carr rocketed a drag flick into the net.
SA continued to apply pressure but were unable to extend their lead after some poor execution by the pusher at their next corner.
The Germans finally started to work their way back into the game and were rewarded with a fantastic deflection goal to level the scores. The game started to heat up and the umpires took control by giving SA player Julian Hykes and Germany’s Christopher Zeller Yellow cards.
Half Time Score 1-1
The Germans came out flying in the second half and earned their first penalty corner within the first 4 minutes. Zeller made no mistake, drag flicking the ball into the top corner giving the keeper no chance.
The Germans applied pressure on the South African back four, turning over the ball with a quick counter attack to score their third goal of the game.
This didn’t discourage the spirited South African Team. Gareth Carr had a great run from left half all the way into the D and smashed a cracking back-stick shot into the roof of the German goals to bring them within one goal with just 18 minutes left in the match.
South Africa continued to produce top quality build up play keeping all the pressure on the Germans. This Pressure paid off when great combination play along the baseline lead to a goal from Julian Hykes.
It was the Germans turn to step up the tempo and they created some great chances to regain the lead. After a missed drag flick and a rebound the Germans eventually scored after a free hit was taken and quickly hit into the D for a fantastic deflection goal.
South Africa fought hard to get back into the game and managed to force a corner in the last five seconds. Gareth Carr’s low drag flick was well saved by the keeper but Austin Smith put the ball onto a foot to earn another penalty corner. It was not to be as Carr’s attempted drag flick was run down by the brave German first wave.
Although the SA men lost 4-3, it was a fantastic performance that they could be proud of.
SA Hockey Association media release
EG chased by Bees
Beeston moved up into second place at the expense of their defeated opposition, Cannock, on Sunday and remain just a point behind East Grinstead in Men’s Premier Division. East Grinstead avoided a slip up away at Havant scoring seven times in their win which boosted their goal tally should they need it. David De Prez provided two of his three goals, in the second half to help see off relegation threatened Havant. Beeston’s crunch clash against Cannock ended in a 5-3 win after the Bees had set up the win with a strong first half performance. The roaring pace with which the game began was accented by four goals in the first ten minutes; three of those came from Beeston’s Martin Jones (1) and Jamie Parker (2) which game them a 4-1 half time lead. Martin Jones added his second, and his team’s fifth, in the 59th minute to seal the victory after Harry Jawanda had scored twice to bring Cannock back into the game. Reading stayed in the hunt for the title thanks to a 2-1 victory over Loughborough Students, Iain Mackay’s 65th minute penalty corner proving to be the winner at Sonning Lane. Hampstead and Westminster eased their relegation worries by condemning Southgate to relegation, in their first season since promotion, in a 3-1 home win. Surbiton moved level on points with Cannock, in fifth place, courtesy of a 4-1 away win at Bowdon; Matt Daly scoring all four goals via penalty corners. Women’s Premier Division Champions, Bowdon Hightown, notched up their sixteenth win of the season in a 5-0 win away at Trojans. Ipswich and Chelmsford were unable to capitalise on Trojans’ loss losing 2-0 to Canterbury and 2-1 to Poynton respectively. That meant that Trojans are now safe from relegation and Ipswich and Chelmsford must compete for the play-off place in the hope of avoiding automatic relegation. Olton & WW held onto the runners-up spot for another week after beating Slough 5-4 away with five different names registered on the score sheet for the Midland side: Rochlin, Chipman, Wright, McCabe and James. Leicester kept in the battle for the second European spot, just a point behind Olton & WW, in fourth thanks to a 3-1 win at home over Clifton, Chloe Rogers scoring twice.
Oxted’s 5-0 win over Chelmsford keeps them two points clear of Canterbury, in Men’s Conference East, after the Kent side won 9-2 away at Ipswich. Indian Gymkhana’s 7-2 win over City of Peterborough moved them level with Old Loughtonians on 32 points after they managed only a 2-2 draw away at Bromley and Beckenham. Those results also meant that City of Peterborough, Chelmsford and Ipswich all maintained status quo at the bottom with just a point separating Ipswich, bottom, with Chelmsford, 8th. Men’s Conference North leaders Belper faltered against a Sheffield University Bankers side playing for their survival. The game ended 4-4 after Daniel Mills rescued a point for Belper in the 64th minute. Brooklands MU and Durham University both overwhelmed their oppositions in 11-1 and 10-1 wins to take advantage of Belper’s dropped points; they moved a point clear of Belper into first and second position with Brooklands MU top on goal difference. At the bottom, Sheffield UB moved to three points clear of the relegation zone thanks to that draw with Belper whilst Barford Tigers’ 2-1 win at home against Formby sent them into seventh place, four points clear of Formby. University of Exeter’s narrow 4-3 win away at second bottom Cardiff & UWIC maintained the five point gap at the top of Men’s Conference West. Guildford kept the pressure on by winning 3-2 against Whitchurch. Those results also had ramifications at the bottom of the table, Firebrands’ loss at home to Old Georgians kept the bottom three positions the same, two points separating Firebrands in last place from Whitchurch, in eighth.
Staines won their relegation ‘six pointer’ against Sevenoaks 2-1 at home in Women’s Conference East to keep their dreams of survival alive and to move within a point of their opponents. Reading’s dominance of the division, meanwhile, continued with a 5-1 win over St Albans to maintain their unbeaten run. Maidstone’s 1-5 loss away at Southgate condemned them to automatic relegation into their Regional League. Women’s Conference North remains tight after Loughborough Students and Durham University gained victories against Sunderland and Doncaster, respectively, by the same 5-1 score line; Loughborough remain top by a point. Ben Rhydding’s draw with Bradford Wakefield kept their hopes of survival alive for another week, mathematically able to catch Sunderland in eighth place; Whitley Bay & Tynemouth lost, 1-2 against Belper, and remain in ninth. Women’s Conference West was won by University of Birmingham on Saturday after their 3-0 home win over Firebrands. They were awarded a 7-0 win for the game against Aldridge which was not played on Sunday 8 March by the England Hockey League Committee, Aldridge were also fined £100 by the committee. Aldridge’s 4-3 win away at Bournemouth moved them four points clear of Rover Oxford in eighth place after Rover Oxford lost 4-1 at home to fourth place Exe. St Austell was consigned to relegation, or battling for a play-off place, after a 1-4 home loss against third place Cannock.
England Hockey Media release
Parker injects perfect remedy
By Graham Wilson
NOTTINGHAM doctor Jamie Parker dished out the medicine with two quickfire goals in Beeston’s 5-3 win over Cannock to keep the club’s Double ambitions on a high.
Parker, a quick and strong left-sided player, is not always available for the Highfields club because of his work.
But he certainly injected some early pace in a Slazenger England League clash that saw four goals in the first 10 minutes. Martin Jones opened up with the first of his two in the fourth minute, Cannock’s Gareth Andrew responded in the eighth but Parker immediately put Cannock on the casualty list in the next two minutes with Beeston going into half-time with a 4-1 lead.
“We try to keep Jamie quiet so nobody notices him,” said manager Graham Griffiths. “He’s unorthodox, much like the rest of the team. We have two league and two cup matches to go to take the Double.
“Nobody expected us to be there, so there is no pressure.”
And it is a massive clash scheduled for Saturday at 2pm, with second-placed Beeston, a point behind leaders East Grinstead, hosting fifth-placed Surbiton.
Matt Daly scored all four penalty-corner goals in Surbiton’s 4-1 win over Bowdon to keep them in the hunt, while East Grinstead’s Dave De Prez hit a hat-trick in the 7-4 battle with Havant.
Iain Mackay’s goal five minutes from time gave Reading a 2-1 win over Loughborough Students. The top three qualify for Europe.
Bowdon Hightown’s leading scorer Tina Cullen sent out another warning to the European clubs they host for the Cup Winners’ Cup at Easter with a hat-trick in the 5-0 win over Trojans.
Second-placed Olton beat Slough ladies 5-4.
Daily Express
Women's Vase semi final draw made
Junior finalists known
The draw has been made for the Semi Finals of the Women’s Vase following this weekend’s Quarter Final matches. The finalists are also known for the Junior Cup Finals which will take place at the University of Birmingham over the weekend of 25- 26 April.
In the Women’s Vase Semi Final Draw, there is a sense of déjà vu with Lewis drawing Camberley & Farnborough for the second year in a row. Lewis defeated Amersham & Chalfont to reach the last four, just as they did at this stage last season, with a brace from Suzie Clapp and Anna Worth proving enough to beat the Buckinghamshire-based side. Lewis, who are undefeated in the Sussex Premier League so far this season, will hope to go one better than last year against a Camberley & Farnborough side who have never won the competition but have reached the final twice in the last three years. Five goals in the first half, including a hat trick from Lucy Hollely, sent last season’s finalists to a 6-1 victory against Dudley.
The other Semi Final will see Oswestry host East Grinstead with both teams going strong in their leagues. Oswestry, who are currently second in Cheshire Division One reached the last four after a successful trip to Bedfordshire where they beat Shefford & Sandy 2-1. Two goals in each half from East Grinstead’s Ella Kenny ensured that her team defeated Newcastle 4-0. East Grinstead are also second in their league and will hope to go one better than last year when they lost to eventual winners Sonning at this stage.
Women’s Vase Semi Finals – Ties to be played Sunday 5 April
Camberley & Farnborough v Lewis
Oswestry v East Grinstead
In the junior competitions, the 16 finalists are now also known for the Finals of the Boys & Girls U15 & U18 Cups, which will be held at the University of Birmingham over the weekend of 25-26 April. Since 2006, the four finalists in each age group have played in a round-robin format at one venue to determine the winner. This format was established to mirror the type of tournament hockey that would be experienced at international level.
Wakefield will be looking to retain the Girls U15 Cup as they go head to head with Teddington, Surbiton and Lytham St Annes, with the latter making their first appearance in the finals. Wakefield have also made it to the finals in Girls U18 Cup and will be joined by Reading, Leicester and regular finalists Belper who will be looking to make it three championships on the trot.
The Boy’s U15 Cup has a different look to it with none of the winners in the last five years making it through to the finals. That leaves Cannock, who were winners in 2003 before the format of the finals changed, as the only team to have won the Boy’s U15 Club Cup. They will be joined by Bromley & Beckenham and City of Peterborough and Teddington, neither of who have previously reached the finals of the Boy’s U15 Cup.
The Boy’s U18 Cup has a similar look with none of the four finalists having previously won the competition. Stourport have made it to this stage for the third time in four years but will be looking for better fortune after finishing fourth in 2006 and 2007. Langley Park, Southampton and Old Loughtonians make up the four, with the latter the only other team to previously reach the final when they lost out in 2004.
England Hockey Media release
Coach aims for Azlan Shah crown to boost Asia Cup hopes
By our correspondent
KARACHI: Pakistan are confident of naming an 18-man squad for next month’s Sultan Azlan Shah Cup that is strong enough to win the five-nation hockey title in the Malaysian city of Ipoh.
Four of Pakistan’s leading players including short corner specialist Sohail Abbas are not available for the Azlan Shah Cup but coach Shahid Ali Khan is still hopeful that his team will go on to win the title in Ipoh to boost its confidence ahead of this May’s Asia Cup in Dubai. “Winning the Azlan Shah Cup is important for us because that will raise our team’s confidence ahead of the Asia Cup which is our biggest assignment this year,” Shahid told ‘The News’ on Monday.
Pakistan are to pick their 18-man squad for the Azlan Shah Cup following one-day trials at the National Hockey Stadium in Lahore on Wednesday (tomorrow). A total of 24 players will feature in the trials after striker Waqas Akbar was ruled out of the exercise because of injury. Waqas is on a three-week rest and is expected to return for the Asia Cup to be played at the Dubai Sports City from May 8-15.
Pakistan see Asia Cup as their prime target because by winning it they can confirm a place in the 2010 World Cup to be played in India.
Shahid, a former Olympian, believes his boys are capable enough of winning the Asia Cup but was quick to add that presently his sights are set on the Azlan Shah Cup. “For us the present target is to win the Azlan Shah Cup,” he said.
Former champions Pakistan, ranked number eight in the world, will join New Zealand (world No 7), India (11), Malaysia (15) and Egypt (20) in the Azlan Shah Cup to be played April 6-12.
Shahid, who as goalkeeper helped Pakistan win the 1982 World Cup in Bombay, said that his boys are currently focusing on improving their fitness ahead of the Ipoh assignment.
A Dutch fitness trainer is supervising Pakistan’s physical training during the national training camp that is under progress at the National Hockey Stadium.
Shahid said that his boys’ fitness levels are improving. “There is certainly a marked improvement in the fitness levels,” he said. “The Dutch trainer who is working with us has taken extensive data which shows that most of the boys are showing good progress.”
Shahid termed the fitness levels in the camp as above average adding that he wants them to be much better before the boys leave for Malaysia tentatively on April 1.
“Our data shows that some of the boys still need a lot of improvement as far as fitness is concerned,” he said. “Sharper training is needed by those players.”
Pakistan are unlikely to bring in many new faces in the 18-man squad when the team is decided after tomorrow’s trials.
They are already without four senior players — Sohail, Waseem Ahmed, Rehan Butt and Salman Akbar — who are currently busy playing league hockey in Holland.
Shahid said that he would want to have a combination of youth and experience for the Azlan Shah Cup.
List of probables: Goalkeepers — Nasir Ahmad (PIA), Sajid (Railways), Waseem (Pakistan Steel). Defenders — Zeeshan Ashraf (NBP), Muhammad Imran (Army), Ehsan Ullah (PIA). Midfielders — Rana Asif (WAPDA), Dilawar Hussain (PIA), Muhammad Saqlain (ABL), Zeeshan Ali (KESC), Waqas Zafar (Army), Sibtain Raza (NBP) and Khurram Shahzad (HBL). Forwards — Shakeel Abbasi (SSGC), Waqas Sharif (WAPDA), Akhtar Ali (NBP), Sajid Junaid (KESC), Shabir Khan (SSGC), Asim Khan, Tariq Aziz, Sajjad Anwar, Shafqat Rasool, Fareed Ahmad and Abbas Haider.
The News International
USA moves up on ABN AMRO World Rankings
The USA men’s team made a major move on the ABN AMRO World Rankings after finishing second at the Pan Am Cup. The US team climbed from the 30th to the 19th position.
Pan Am Champion Canada keeps its 13th position. Argentina, bronze medalist at the Pan Am Cup lost three places and is ranked 12th now.
Germany is still the leader of the ABN AMRO World Rankings, followed by Australia, Spain, Netherlands and Korea.
Please click here for the ABN AMRO World Rankings.
WorldHockey
India move up in FIH rankings
NEW DELHI: The Indian men's hockey team jumped three rungs to 10th in the International Hockey Federation rankings issued on Monday.
The eight-time Olympic champions, with 1280 points, however, are two spots behind their arch-rivals Pakistan (1460 points).
Olympic and world champions Germany lead the table with 2530 points, followed by Athens Olympic gold medallists Australia (2365), while Spain occupy the third spot with 2295 points.
The Netherlands (2158) have slipped to the fourth spot, followed by Korea (2003), England (1565) and New Zealand (1488).
Meanwhile, the Indian eves have climbed up five spots to the 14th position in the women's team rankings which are being headed by the Netherlands, followed by Argentina and Germany.
The Times of India
Pakistan still 8th in FIH rankings
By our correspondent
KARACHI: Former world champions Pakistan have managed to retain their eighth position in the international hockey rankings. According to the latest list issued by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), Pakistan are still trailing New Zealand in the world rankings. The USA men’s team made a major move on the FIH computer after finishing second at the Pan Am Cup. The US team climbed from the 30th to the 19th position. Pan Am Champion Canada keep their 13th position. Argentina, bronze medallist at the Pan Am Cup lost three places and are ranked 12th now. Germany are still at the top of list, followed by Australia, Spain, Netherlands and Korea.
The News International
EHF announces EuroHockey Nations Championships match schedule
The EHF is delighted to announce the approved match program for the Rabo EuroHockey Nations Championships, Women and Men.
Plans for the event are hotting up with just 5 months to go before the start of what will be the highlight of European hockey in 2009.
A dedicated website – www.eurohockey2009.nl will be launched in the coming days, allowing fans to book accommodation and tickets well in advance and avoid disappointment!
Please click here for the complete program
European Hockey Federation media release
French teams for Belgium and Ireland matches
French Coach Scott Goodheart has selected 22 players to play in three matches against Belgium and Ireland over the next two weeks.
“These three matches, as well as the two recent Scotland games, are an important opportunity for the players to show their potential, and also for the coaching staff to finalise our focus for 2009,” he said.
A total of 22 players will be used for the two series, including two players currently outside the Senior Squad, being U21 players Guillaume Samson and Lucas Sevestre. Both players were impressive in matches against Scotland, and both have earned another opportunity for the France senior team.
The series also sees the return of Nicolas Monnier, the 30 year old veteran playing in his first matches for France since the 2008 Olympic Qualifier tournament in March 2008.
‘We are evolving as a team, and the emergence in confidence and skill of some of the younger players in the group has been very exciting. This is also motivating the more experienced players to keep improving. I hope this continues into and beyond these games,” Goodheart said.
The match schedule:
Wednesday 18 March: France-Belgium, 18:00, Lille
Tuesday 24 March: Ireland-France, Dublin, 19:00
Wednesday 25 March: Ireland-France, Dublin, 19:00
French Hockey Federation media release
Lack of fitness spells trouble for team
By Jugjet Singh
THE main reason the national juniors have flipped, and then flopped in recent tournaments is because their fitness is still suspect.
The Four-Nation at the Taman Daya Stadium in Johor Baru revealed that the team are still unprepared, some three months before Malaysia and Singapore co-host the Junior World Cup on June 7-21.
Malaysia lost 3-1 to Pakistan, 3-1 to India, beat Singapore 2-1, and then beat the co-hosts 6-0 to finish third.
Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob watched the Malaysian juniors play the placing match, and were not impressed with the 6-0 margin.
Singapore, who were hammered 8-0 by Pakistan and 12-0 by India, are hardly a yardstick, and they will be playing in their first Junior World Cup by virtue of being co-hosts.
Malaysia are in Group C with England, Spain, South Korea and United States, and the top-two advance to the quarter-finals.
Tengku Abdullah was reported as saying by Bernama: "It's quite obvious that our level of physical fitness is not there yet.
"We need to improve on it before the Junior World Cup begins in June. We have to be at the peak of our physical fitness before we take on the best in the world."
The five-day tournament had also provided valuable feedback about the newly laid pitch.
"As for the pitch, I am a little worried about the flow of the ball especially when it rains. I could see that the flow (of the ball) wasn't that smooth.
"It was because of the water on the pitch. And what will happen if it rains during a match?
"Is the drainage system able to solve the problem? We have to make sure things are working fine before the World Cup comes to town."
Tengku Abdullah also inspected the second pitch.
"We are on schedule and the pitch should be ready one month before the tournament starts."
The pitch will surely be ready, but the team?
"We still have 90 days, and I am confident that the boys will be in good shape to take on the rest of the world," said juniors coach K. Rajan.
The juniors will be in Seville, Spain on April 8-12 to play a Four-Nation against England, Germany and Spain -- where their true form can be measured against worthy European talent.
New Straits Times
National Juniors yet to find working combination
By S. RAMAGURU
KUALA LUMPUR: The national juniors are running out time and practice matches to come up with a good combination for their campaign in the Junior World Cup Finals in June.
They finished third in the just concluded four-nation international at the new Taman Daya Stadium in Johor Baru. They were beaten by India and Pakistan, both by 1-3 margins, and struggled to beat Singapore 2-1 in the round-robin matches before securing a 6-0 win in the classification playoff.
Coach K. Rajan admitted that his boys gave below par performances.
“The bright side is that they are now familiar with the Asian style of play. At some point in the matches against India and Pakistan, they were able to control play. But they need to play more matches to get the moves right,” he said.
The next assignment for the Juniors is an European tour where they are expected to play at least nine matches.
They will play in a four-nation tournament hosted by Spain from April 8-12 and their other opponents are England and Belgium.
The juniors will then head for Belgium for four Test matches (April 14-18) followed by a match against the German national juniors (April) and another against a German club (April 21) before returning home on April 23.
“I am happy with the European schedule as we will get to play quality matches. We need matches against the Europeans. We have two European teams in our group (in the Junior World Cup Finals). The tour will help us adapt to their style of play,” said Rajan.
The Finals will be co-hosted by Malaysia and Singapore from June 7-21. Malaysia are in the same group as Spain, England, South Korea and the United States and the matches will be played at the Taman Daya Stadium.
Malaysia may get to play in another four-nation tournament in Singapore in late April. Singapore are considering staging the tournament to test the facilities at their new stadium.
The Star of Malaysia
Perak stay on track for title challenge
By Jugjet Singh
PERAK aim to become the National Under-16 champions and they took a step closer to achieving their target when they beat Selangor 2-0 in Group A at the Seremban II Stadium in Negri Sembilan yesterday.
Perak have won both their matches to date, and next play defending champions Kuala Lumpur today.
"We have a good team this year, and the target is to lift the title. After watching the other teams, I believe our target can be achieved," said Perak team manager M. Kulasingam.
Kulasingam, however, feels most of the other teams are suffering not because they lack talent but because they only had about five days of training.
"All the teams are in the same boat here as their boys are involved in the MHL (Malaysia Hockey League) and had only about five days of training.
"As for Perak, we only had four days as my boys were with BJSS (Bukit Jalil Sports School), BPSS (Bandar Penawar Sports School) and other MHL teams.
"However, these boys were the under-14 champions and they still have a good understanding of each other, and we should beat Kuala Lumpur tomorrow (today)," Kulasingam added.
The Perak goals were scored by skipper Shazril Irwan (18th) and Ibnu Fatalilah (21st).
In Group B, Terengganu showed their mettle when they beat Penang 2-1.
Skipper Firhan Ashari scored a brace for Terengganu in the third and 11th minutes, before Redhwan Jaafar reduced the deficit in the 15th minute but the East Coast side held on stubbornly for the win.
RESULTS -- Group A: Selangor 0 Perak 2, Kuala Lumpur 4 Perlis 1, Kelantan 4 Pahang 1.
Group B: Terengganu 2 Penang 1, Johor 0 Singapore 4, Negri Sembilan 2 Kedah 0.
TODAY -- Group A: Kuala Lumpur v Perak, Perlis v Pahang, Selangor v Kelantan.
Group B: Kedah v Terengganu, Johor v Penang, Singapore v Negri Sembilan.
New Straits Times
Former champs set early pace at U-16 tournament
SEREMBAN: Former champions Perak, Terengganu and Kelantan set the early pace in the national Under-16 hockey championships, chalking up their second straight wins at the Seremban II Hockey Stadium here yesterday.
Perak defeated Selangor 2-0 in a Group A match while Terengganu beat Penang 2-1 in Group B. Kelantan, who are also in Group A, beat Pahang 4-1.
For Selangor, the defeat was a big blow after having started with a 1-0 victory over defending champions Kuala Lumpur. They conceded the two goals in the first half — to Mohamed Fitri Ismail (18th) and Mohamed Soffian Kamaruddin (21st).
Perak, who were champions in 2007, will play KL today in a crucial match in which they could seal an early place in the semi-finals.
KL bounced back from the opening-match defeat to beat Perlis 4-1 with Mohamed Nor Akmal Ghaffar scoring all the goals for them from penalty corner set pieces (sixth, 15th, 68th and 70th). The scorer for Perlis was Mohamed Khairul (27th).
Terengganu rode on two early goals to down Penang. Mohamed Firhan Azhari scored a brace in the third and 11th minute from field attempts.
Penang, who defeated hosts Negri Sembilan 5-2 on Sunday, hit back in the 15th minute through Mohamed Redhwan Jaafar but the equaliser eluded them.
Last year’s runners-up Singapore, who drew with Kedah 2-2 in the opening match, hauled themselves back into contention for a semi-final berth with a 4-0 win over Johor. The scorers were Mohamed Azahari Othman (2), Mohamed Sidek Sa’aman and Kerisaf Sani Abdullah.
The Star of Malaysia
Gill rubbishes CWG security concerns
Sports Reporter
NEW DELHI: Rejecting media reports on security concerns related to the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games (CWG), Union Sports Minister M.S. Gill on Monday said that “hypothetical” fears should not be raised.
“I wish the Commonwealth Games officials would not raise hypothetical concerns and fears a full year-and-half before the Games,” Mr. Gill said.
“Michael Fennell, the Chairman of the Commonwealth Games Federation, along with his officials was here some weeks back. He had discussions with me, the Lt. Governor and the Chief Minister of Delhi. He went back fully satisfied,” the Minister asserted.
Mr. Gill assured that the Government machinery is “fully focused on making all necessary security arrangements.”
The Hindu
South Africa steps up their game to test Germany
By Karl Oftebro
The South Africans started the game like a house on fire and went into the lead as early as the 6th minute after Gareth Carr rocketed a drag flick into the net.
SA continued to apply pressure but were unable to extend their lead after some poor execution by the pusher at their next corner.
The Germans finally started to work their way back into the game and were rewarded with a fantastic deflection goal to level the scores. The game started to heat up and the umpires took control by giving SA player Julian Hykes and Germany’s Christopher Zeller Yellow cards.
Half Time Score 1-1
The Germans came out flying in the second half and earned their first penalty corner within the first 4 minutes. Zeller made no mistake, drag flicking the ball into the top corner giving the keeper no chance.
The Germans applied pressure on the South African back four, turning over the ball with a quick counter attack to score their third goal of the game.
This didn’t discourage the spirited South African Team. Gareth Carr had a great run from left half all the way into the D and smashed a cracking back-stick shot into the roof of the German goals to bring them within one goal with just 18 minutes left in the match.
South Africa continued to produce top quality build up play keeping all the pressure on the Germans. This Pressure paid off when great combination play along the baseline lead to a goal from Julian Hykes.
It was the Germans turn to step up the tempo and they created some great chances to regain the lead. After a missed drag flick and a rebound the Germans eventually scored after a free hit was taken and quickly hit into the D for a fantastic deflection goal.
South Africa fought hard to get back into the game and managed to force a corner in the last five seconds. Gareth Carr’s low drag flick was well saved by the keeper but Austin Smith put the ball onto a foot to earn another penalty corner. It was not to be as Carr’s attempted drag flick was run down by the brave German first wave.
Although the SA men lost 4-3, it was a fantastic performance that they could be proud of.
SA Hockey Association media release
EG chased by Bees
Beeston moved up into second place at the expense of their defeated opposition, Cannock, on Sunday and remain just a point behind East Grinstead in Men’s Premier Division. East Grinstead avoided a slip up away at Havant scoring seven times in their win which boosted their goal tally should they need it. David De Prez provided two of his three goals, in the second half to help see off relegation threatened Havant. Beeston’s crunch clash against Cannock ended in a 5-3 win after the Bees had set up the win with a strong first half performance. The roaring pace with which the game began was accented by four goals in the first ten minutes; three of those came from Beeston’s Martin Jones (1) and Jamie Parker (2) which game them a 4-1 half time lead. Martin Jones added his second, and his team’s fifth, in the 59th minute to seal the victory after Harry Jawanda had scored twice to bring Cannock back into the game. Reading stayed in the hunt for the title thanks to a 2-1 victory over Loughborough Students, Iain Mackay’s 65th minute penalty corner proving to be the winner at Sonning Lane. Hampstead and Westminster eased their relegation worries by condemning Southgate to relegation, in their first season since promotion, in a 3-1 home win. Surbiton moved level on points with Cannock, in fifth place, courtesy of a 4-1 away win at Bowdon; Matt Daly scoring all four goals via penalty corners. Women’s Premier Division Champions, Bowdon Hightown, notched up their sixteenth win of the season in a 5-0 win away at Trojans. Ipswich and Chelmsford were unable to capitalise on Trojans’ loss losing 2-0 to Canterbury and 2-1 to Poynton respectively. That meant that Trojans are now safe from relegation and Ipswich and Chelmsford must compete for the play-off place in the hope of avoiding automatic relegation. Olton & WW held onto the runners-up spot for another week after beating Slough 5-4 away with five different names registered on the score sheet for the Midland side: Rochlin, Chipman, Wright, McCabe and James. Leicester kept in the battle for the second European spot, just a point behind Olton & WW, in fourth thanks to a 3-1 win at home over Clifton, Chloe Rogers scoring twice.
Oxted’s 5-0 win over Chelmsford keeps them two points clear of Canterbury, in Men’s Conference East, after the Kent side won 9-2 away at Ipswich. Indian Gymkhana’s 7-2 win over City of Peterborough moved them level with Old Loughtonians on 32 points after they managed only a 2-2 draw away at Bromley and Beckenham. Those results also meant that City of Peterborough, Chelmsford and Ipswich all maintained status quo at the bottom with just a point separating Ipswich, bottom, with Chelmsford, 8th. Men’s Conference North leaders Belper faltered against a Sheffield University Bankers side playing for their survival. The game ended 4-4 after Daniel Mills rescued a point for Belper in the 64th minute. Brooklands MU and Durham University both overwhelmed their oppositions in 11-1 and 10-1 wins to take advantage of Belper’s dropped points; they moved a point clear of Belper into first and second position with Brooklands MU top on goal difference. At the bottom, Sheffield UB moved to three points clear of the relegation zone thanks to that draw with Belper whilst Barford Tigers’ 2-1 win at home against Formby sent them into seventh place, four points clear of Formby. University of Exeter’s narrow 4-3 win away at second bottom Cardiff & UWIC maintained the five point gap at the top of Men’s Conference West. Guildford kept the pressure on by winning 3-2 against Whitchurch. Those results also had ramifications at the bottom of the table, Firebrands’ loss at home to Old Georgians kept the bottom three positions the same, two points separating Firebrands in last place from Whitchurch, in eighth.
Staines won their relegation ‘six pointer’ against Sevenoaks 2-1 at home in Women’s Conference East to keep their dreams of survival alive and to move within a point of their opponents. Reading’s dominance of the division, meanwhile, continued with a 5-1 win over St Albans to maintain their unbeaten run. Maidstone’s 1-5 loss away at Southgate condemned them to automatic relegation into their Regional League. Women’s Conference North remains tight after Loughborough Students and Durham University gained victories against Sunderland and Doncaster, respectively, by the same 5-1 score line; Loughborough remain top by a point. Ben Rhydding’s draw with Bradford Wakefield kept their hopes of survival alive for another week, mathematically able to catch Sunderland in eighth place; Whitley Bay & Tynemouth lost, 1-2 against Belper, and remain in ninth. Women’s Conference West was won by University of Birmingham on Saturday after their 3-0 home win over Firebrands. They were awarded a 7-0 win for the game against Aldridge which was not played on Sunday 8 March by the England Hockey League Committee, Aldridge were also fined £100 by the committee. Aldridge’s 4-3 win away at Bournemouth moved them four points clear of Rover Oxford in eighth place after Rover Oxford lost 4-1 at home to fourth place Exe. St Austell was consigned to relegation, or battling for a play-off place, after a 1-4 home loss against third place Cannock.
England Hockey Media release
Parker injects perfect remedy
By Graham Wilson
NOTTINGHAM doctor Jamie Parker dished out the medicine with two quickfire goals in Beeston’s 5-3 win over Cannock to keep the club’s Double ambitions on a high.
Parker, a quick and strong left-sided player, is not always available for the Highfields club because of his work.
But he certainly injected some early pace in a Slazenger England League clash that saw four goals in the first 10 minutes. Martin Jones opened up with the first of his two in the fourth minute, Cannock’s Gareth Andrew responded in the eighth but Parker immediately put Cannock on the casualty list in the next two minutes with Beeston going into half-time with a 4-1 lead.
“We try to keep Jamie quiet so nobody notices him,” said manager Graham Griffiths. “He’s unorthodox, much like the rest of the team. We have two league and two cup matches to go to take the Double.
“Nobody expected us to be there, so there is no pressure.”
And it is a massive clash scheduled for Saturday at 2pm, with second-placed Beeston, a point behind leaders East Grinstead, hosting fifth-placed Surbiton.
Matt Daly scored all four penalty-corner goals in Surbiton’s 4-1 win over Bowdon to keep them in the hunt, while East Grinstead’s Dave De Prez hit a hat-trick in the 7-4 battle with Havant.
Iain Mackay’s goal five minutes from time gave Reading a 2-1 win over Loughborough Students. The top three qualify for Europe.
Bowdon Hightown’s leading scorer Tina Cullen sent out another warning to the European clubs they host for the Cup Winners’ Cup at Easter with a hat-trick in the 5-0 win over Trojans.
Second-placed Olton beat Slough ladies 5-4.
Daily Express
Women's Vase semi final draw made
Junior finalists known
The draw has been made for the Semi Finals of the Women’s Vase following this weekend’s Quarter Final matches. The finalists are also known for the Junior Cup Finals which will take place at the University of Birmingham over the weekend of 25- 26 April.
In the Women’s Vase Semi Final Draw, there is a sense of déjà vu with Lewis drawing Camberley & Farnborough for the second year in a row. Lewis defeated Amersham & Chalfont to reach the last four, just as they did at this stage last season, with a brace from Suzie Clapp and Anna Worth proving enough to beat the Buckinghamshire-based side. Lewis, who are undefeated in the Sussex Premier League so far this season, will hope to go one better than last year against a Camberley & Farnborough side who have never won the competition but have reached the final twice in the last three years. Five goals in the first half, including a hat trick from Lucy Hollely, sent last season’s finalists to a 6-1 victory against Dudley.
The other Semi Final will see Oswestry host East Grinstead with both teams going strong in their leagues. Oswestry, who are currently second in Cheshire Division One reached the last four after a successful trip to Bedfordshire where they beat Shefford & Sandy 2-1. Two goals in each half from East Grinstead’s Ella Kenny ensured that her team defeated Newcastle 4-0. East Grinstead are also second in their league and will hope to go one better than last year when they lost to eventual winners Sonning at this stage.
Women’s Vase Semi Finals – Ties to be played Sunday 5 April
Camberley & Farnborough v Lewis
Oswestry v East Grinstead
In the junior competitions, the 16 finalists are now also known for the Finals of the Boys & Girls U15 & U18 Cups, which will be held at the University of Birmingham over the weekend of 25-26 April. Since 2006, the four finalists in each age group have played in a round-robin format at one venue to determine the winner. This format was established to mirror the type of tournament hockey that would be experienced at international level.
Wakefield will be looking to retain the Girls U15 Cup as they go head to head with Teddington, Surbiton and Lytham St Annes, with the latter making their first appearance in the finals. Wakefield have also made it to the finals in Girls U18 Cup and will be joined by Reading, Leicester and regular finalists Belper who will be looking to make it three championships on the trot.
The Boy’s U15 Cup has a different look to it with none of the winners in the last five years making it through to the finals. That leaves Cannock, who were winners in 2003 before the format of the finals changed, as the only team to have won the Boy’s U15 Club Cup. They will be joined by Bromley & Beckenham and City of Peterborough and Teddington, neither of who have previously reached the finals of the Boy’s U15 Cup.
The Boy’s U18 Cup has a similar look with none of the four finalists having previously won the competition. Stourport have made it to this stage for the third time in four years but will be looking for better fortune after finishing fourth in 2006 and 2007. Langley Park, Southampton and Old Loughtonians make up the four, with the latter the only other team to previously reach the final when they lost out in 2004.
England Hockey Media release
Coach aims for Azlan Shah crown to boost Asia Cup hopes
By our correspondent
KARACHI: Pakistan are confident of naming an 18-man squad for next month’s Sultan Azlan Shah Cup that is strong enough to win the five-nation hockey title in the Malaysian city of Ipoh.
Four of Pakistan’s leading players including short corner specialist Sohail Abbas are not available for the Azlan Shah Cup but coach Shahid Ali Khan is still hopeful that his team will go on to win the title in Ipoh to boost its confidence ahead of this May’s Asia Cup in Dubai. “Winning the Azlan Shah Cup is important for us because that will raise our team’s confidence ahead of the Asia Cup which is our biggest assignment this year,” Shahid told ‘The News’ on Monday.
Pakistan are to pick their 18-man squad for the Azlan Shah Cup following one-day trials at the National Hockey Stadium in Lahore on Wednesday (tomorrow). A total of 24 players will feature in the trials after striker Waqas Akbar was ruled out of the exercise because of injury. Waqas is on a three-week rest and is expected to return for the Asia Cup to be played at the Dubai Sports City from May 8-15.
Pakistan see Asia Cup as their prime target because by winning it they can confirm a place in the 2010 World Cup to be played in India.
Shahid, a former Olympian, believes his boys are capable enough of winning the Asia Cup but was quick to add that presently his sights are set on the Azlan Shah Cup. “For us the present target is to win the Azlan Shah Cup,” he said.
Former champions Pakistan, ranked number eight in the world, will join New Zealand (world No 7), India (11), Malaysia (15) and Egypt (20) in the Azlan Shah Cup to be played April 6-12.
Shahid, who as goalkeeper helped Pakistan win the 1982 World Cup in Bombay, said that his boys are currently focusing on improving their fitness ahead of the Ipoh assignment.
A Dutch fitness trainer is supervising Pakistan’s physical training during the national training camp that is under progress at the National Hockey Stadium.
Shahid said that his boys’ fitness levels are improving. “There is certainly a marked improvement in the fitness levels,” he said. “The Dutch trainer who is working with us has taken extensive data which shows that most of the boys are showing good progress.”
Shahid termed the fitness levels in the camp as above average adding that he wants them to be much better before the boys leave for Malaysia tentatively on April 1.
“Our data shows that some of the boys still need a lot of improvement as far as fitness is concerned,” he said. “Sharper training is needed by those players.”
Pakistan are unlikely to bring in many new faces in the 18-man squad when the team is decided after tomorrow’s trials.
They are already without four senior players — Sohail, Waseem Ahmed, Rehan Butt and Salman Akbar — who are currently busy playing league hockey in Holland.
Shahid said that he would want to have a combination of youth and experience for the Azlan Shah Cup.
List of probables: Goalkeepers — Nasir Ahmad (PIA), Sajid (Railways), Waseem (Pakistan Steel). Defenders — Zeeshan Ashraf (NBP), Muhammad Imran (Army), Ehsan Ullah (PIA). Midfielders — Rana Asif (WAPDA), Dilawar Hussain (PIA), Muhammad Saqlain (ABL), Zeeshan Ali (KESC), Waqas Zafar (Army), Sibtain Raza (NBP) and Khurram Shahzad (HBL). Forwards — Shakeel Abbasi (SSGC), Waqas Sharif (WAPDA), Akhtar Ali (NBP), Sajid Junaid (KESC), Shabir Khan (SSGC), Asim Khan, Tariq Aziz, Sajjad Anwar, Shafqat Rasool, Fareed Ahmad and Abbas Haider.
The News International
USA moves up on ABN AMRO World Rankings
The USA men’s team made a major move on the ABN AMRO World Rankings after finishing second at the Pan Am Cup. The US team climbed from the 30th to the 19th position.
Pan Am Champion Canada keeps its 13th position. Argentina, bronze medalist at the Pan Am Cup lost three places and is ranked 12th now.
Germany is still the leader of the ABN AMRO World Rankings, followed by Australia, Spain, Netherlands and Korea.
Please click here for the ABN AMRO World Rankings.
WorldHockey
India move up in FIH rankings
NEW DELHI: The Indian men's hockey team jumped three rungs to 10th in the International Hockey Federation rankings issued on Monday.
The eight-time Olympic champions, with 1280 points, however, are two spots behind their arch-rivals Pakistan (1460 points).
Olympic and world champions Germany lead the table with 2530 points, followed by Athens Olympic gold medallists Australia (2365), while Spain occupy the third spot with 2295 points.
The Netherlands (2158) have slipped to the fourth spot, followed by Korea (2003), England (1565) and New Zealand (1488).
Meanwhile, the Indian eves have climbed up five spots to the 14th position in the women's team rankings which are being headed by the Netherlands, followed by Argentina and Germany.
The Times of India
Pakistan still 8th in FIH rankings
By our correspondent
KARACHI: Former world champions Pakistan have managed to retain their eighth position in the international hockey rankings. According to the latest list issued by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), Pakistan are still trailing New Zealand in the world rankings. The USA men’s team made a major move on the FIH computer after finishing second at the Pan Am Cup. The US team climbed from the 30th to the 19th position. Pan Am Champion Canada keep their 13th position. Argentina, bronze medallist at the Pan Am Cup lost three places and are ranked 12th now. Germany are still at the top of list, followed by Australia, Spain, Netherlands and Korea.
The News International
EHF announces EuroHockey Nations Championships match schedule
The EHF is delighted to announce the approved match program for the Rabo EuroHockey Nations Championships, Women and Men.
Plans for the event are hotting up with just 5 months to go before the start of what will be the highlight of European hockey in 2009.
A dedicated website – www.eurohockey2009.nl will be launched in the coming days, allowing fans to book accommodation and tickets well in advance and avoid disappointment!
Please click here for the complete program
European Hockey Federation media release
French teams for Belgium and Ireland matches
French Coach Scott Goodheart has selected 22 players to play in three matches against Belgium and Ireland over the next two weeks.
“These three matches, as well as the two recent Scotland games, are an important opportunity for the players to show their potential, and also for the coaching staff to finalise our focus for 2009,” he said.
A total of 22 players will be used for the two series, including two players currently outside the Senior Squad, being U21 players Guillaume Samson and Lucas Sevestre. Both players were impressive in matches against Scotland, and both have earned another opportunity for the France senior team.
The series also sees the return of Nicolas Monnier, the 30 year old veteran playing in his first matches for France since the 2008 Olympic Qualifier tournament in March 2008.
‘We are evolving as a team, and the emergence in confidence and skill of some of the younger players in the group has been very exciting. This is also motivating the more experienced players to keep improving. I hope this continues into and beyond these games,” Goodheart said.
| LAST | FIRST | AGE | CLUB | BEL | IRL |
| BECUWE | Arnaud | 28 | RS Tenis (ESP) | X | X |
| BECUWE | Thomas | 26 | Lille MHC | X | X |
| DIERCKENS | Matthias | 21 | Lille MHC | X |
|
| DURCHON | Mathieu | 27 | CA Montrouge | X |
|
| GENESTET | Tom | 21 | St Germain HC | X |
|
| GENESTET | Martin | 23 | St Germain HC | X | X |
| GOURDIN | Thomas | 24 | CA Montrouge |
| X |
| HOAREAU | Willy | 21 | Lille MHC |
| X |
| JANSEN | Noud | 24 | CA Montrouge | X | X |
| JANSEN | Joost | 20 | CA Montrouge | X | X |
| LANOS | Max | 31 | Racing Club de France | X | X |
| LHOMME | Henri Julien | 25 | FCLyon HCHC |
| X |
| MARTIN BRISAC | Nicolas | 20 | Racing Club de France |
| X |
| MIGNEAU | Valentin | 23 | Lille MHC | X | X |
| MONNIER | Nicolas | 30 | Racing Club de France | X | X |
| SAMSON | Guillaume | 20 | St Germain HC | X | X |
| SCHAMBERT | Yannick | 23 | Lille MHC | X | X |
| SCHEEFER | Francois | 21 | CA Montrouge | X | X |
| SEVESTRE | Lucas | 19 | St Germain HC |
| X |
| SOYEZ | Fréderic | 31 | Lille MHC | X | X |
| WILSON | Max | 24 | CA Montrouge |
| X |
| ZYLBERMANN | Martin | 23 | St Germain HC | X |
|
The match schedule:
Wednesday 18 March: France-Belgium, 18:00, Lille
Tuesday 24 March: Ireland-France, Dublin, 19:00
Wednesday 25 March: Ireland-France, Dublin, 19:00
French Hockey Federation media release
Lack of fitness spells trouble for team
By Jugjet Singh
THE main reason the national juniors have flipped, and then flopped in recent tournaments is because their fitness is still suspect.
The Four-Nation at the Taman Daya Stadium in Johor Baru revealed that the team are still unprepared, some three months before Malaysia and Singapore co-host the Junior World Cup on June 7-21.
Malaysia lost 3-1 to Pakistan, 3-1 to India, beat Singapore 2-1, and then beat the co-hosts 6-0 to finish third.
Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob watched the Malaysian juniors play the placing match, and were not impressed with the 6-0 margin.
Singapore, who were hammered 8-0 by Pakistan and 12-0 by India, are hardly a yardstick, and they will be playing in their first Junior World Cup by virtue of being co-hosts.
Malaysia are in Group C with England, Spain, South Korea and United States, and the top-two advance to the quarter-finals.
Tengku Abdullah was reported as saying by Bernama: "It's quite obvious that our level of physical fitness is not there yet.
"We need to improve on it before the Junior World Cup begins in June. We have to be at the peak of our physical fitness before we take on the best in the world."
The five-day tournament had also provided valuable feedback about the newly laid pitch.
"As for the pitch, I am a little worried about the flow of the ball especially when it rains. I could see that the flow (of the ball) wasn't that smooth.
"It was because of the water on the pitch. And what will happen if it rains during a match?
"Is the drainage system able to solve the problem? We have to make sure things are working fine before the World Cup comes to town."
Tengku Abdullah also inspected the second pitch.
"We are on schedule and the pitch should be ready one month before the tournament starts."
The pitch will surely be ready, but the team?
"We still have 90 days, and I am confident that the boys will be in good shape to take on the rest of the world," said juniors coach K. Rajan.
The juniors will be in Seville, Spain on April 8-12 to play a Four-Nation against England, Germany and Spain -- where their true form can be measured against worthy European talent.
New Straits Times
National Juniors yet to find working combination
By S. RAMAGURU
KUALA LUMPUR: The national juniors are running out time and practice matches to come up with a good combination for their campaign in the Junior World Cup Finals in June.
They finished third in the just concluded four-nation international at the new Taman Daya Stadium in Johor Baru. They were beaten by India and Pakistan, both by 1-3 margins, and struggled to beat Singapore 2-1 in the round-robin matches before securing a 6-0 win in the classification playoff.
Coach K. Rajan admitted that his boys gave below par performances.
“The bright side is that they are now familiar with the Asian style of play. At some point in the matches against India and Pakistan, they were able to control play. But they need to play more matches to get the moves right,” he said.
The next assignment for the Juniors is an European tour where they are expected to play at least nine matches.
They will play in a four-nation tournament hosted by Spain from April 8-12 and their other opponents are England and Belgium.
The juniors will then head for Belgium for four Test matches (April 14-18) followed by a match against the German national juniors (April) and another against a German club (April 21) before returning home on April 23.
“I am happy with the European schedule as we will get to play quality matches. We need matches against the Europeans. We have two European teams in our group (in the Junior World Cup Finals). The tour will help us adapt to their style of play,” said Rajan.
The Finals will be co-hosted by Malaysia and Singapore from June 7-21. Malaysia are in the same group as Spain, England, South Korea and the United States and the matches will be played at the Taman Daya Stadium.
Malaysia may get to play in another four-nation tournament in Singapore in late April. Singapore are considering staging the tournament to test the facilities at their new stadium.
The Star of Malaysia
Perak stay on track for title challenge
By Jugjet Singh
PERAK aim to become the National Under-16 champions and they took a step closer to achieving their target when they beat Selangor 2-0 in Group A at the Seremban II Stadium in Negri Sembilan yesterday.
Perak have won both their matches to date, and next play defending champions Kuala Lumpur today.
"We have a good team this year, and the target is to lift the title. After watching the other teams, I believe our target can be achieved," said Perak team manager M. Kulasingam.
Kulasingam, however, feels most of the other teams are suffering not because they lack talent but because they only had about five days of training.
"All the teams are in the same boat here as their boys are involved in the MHL (Malaysia Hockey League) and had only about five days of training.
"As for Perak, we only had four days as my boys were with BJSS (Bukit Jalil Sports School), BPSS (Bandar Penawar Sports School) and other MHL teams.
"However, these boys were the under-14 champions and they still have a good understanding of each other, and we should beat Kuala Lumpur tomorrow (today)," Kulasingam added.
The Perak goals were scored by skipper Shazril Irwan (18th) and Ibnu Fatalilah (21st).
In Group B, Terengganu showed their mettle when they beat Penang 2-1.
Skipper Firhan Ashari scored a brace for Terengganu in the third and 11th minutes, before Redhwan Jaafar reduced the deficit in the 15th minute but the East Coast side held on stubbornly for the win.
RESULTS -- Group A: Selangor 0 Perak 2, Kuala Lumpur 4 Perlis 1, Kelantan 4 Pahang 1.
Group B: Terengganu 2 Penang 1, Johor 0 Singapore 4, Negri Sembilan 2 Kedah 0.
TODAY -- Group A: Kuala Lumpur v Perak, Perlis v Pahang, Selangor v Kelantan.
Group B: Kedah v Terengganu, Johor v Penang, Singapore v Negri Sembilan.
New Straits Times
Former champs set early pace at U-16 tournament
SEREMBAN: Former champions Perak, Terengganu and Kelantan set the early pace in the national Under-16 hockey championships, chalking up their second straight wins at the Seremban II Hockey Stadium here yesterday.
Perak defeated Selangor 2-0 in a Group A match while Terengganu beat Penang 2-1 in Group B. Kelantan, who are also in Group A, beat Pahang 4-1.
For Selangor, the defeat was a big blow after having started with a 1-0 victory over defending champions Kuala Lumpur. They conceded the two goals in the first half — to Mohamed Fitri Ismail (18th) and Mohamed Soffian Kamaruddin (21st).
Perak, who were champions in 2007, will play KL today in a crucial match in which they could seal an early place in the semi-finals.
KL bounced back from the opening-match defeat to beat Perlis 4-1 with Mohamed Nor Akmal Ghaffar scoring all the goals for them from penalty corner set pieces (sixth, 15th, 68th and 70th). The scorer for Perlis was Mohamed Khairul (27th).
Terengganu rode on two early goals to down Penang. Mohamed Firhan Azhari scored a brace in the third and 11th minute from field attempts.
Penang, who defeated hosts Negri Sembilan 5-2 on Sunday, hit back in the 15th minute through Mohamed Redhwan Jaafar but the equaliser eluded them.
Last year’s runners-up Singapore, who drew with Kedah 2-2 in the opening match, hauled themselves back into contention for a semi-final berth with a 4-0 win over Johor. The scorers were Mohamed Azahari Othman (2), Mohamed Sidek Sa’aman and Kerisaf Sani Abdullah.
The Star of Malaysia
Gill rubbishes CWG security concerns
Sports Reporter
NEW DELHI: Rejecting media reports on security concerns related to the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games (CWG), Union Sports Minister M.S. Gill on Monday said that “hypothetical” fears should not be raised.
“I wish the Commonwealth Games officials would not raise hypothetical concerns and fears a full year-and-half before the Games,” Mr. Gill said.
“Michael Fennell, the Chairman of the Commonwealth Games Federation, along with his officials was here some weeks back. He had discussions with me, the Lt. Governor and the Chief Minister of Delhi. He went back fully satisfied,” the Minister asserted.
Mr. Gill assured that the Government machinery is “fully focused on making all necessary security arrangements.”
The Hindu