MHL : Knockout Stage

Maybank snatched a slim advantage when they edged Nur Insafi-Penang 1-0 in a Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) quarter-final first-leg match at the USM AstroTurf Stadium here yesterday.

And it was veteran forward Chairil Anwar Aziz who gave then the cushion for the return match at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Saturday.

The 36-year-old former international deflected home a cross from Mohd Razali Zulkipli in the 42nd minute.

Maybank coach S. Velappan, though pleased with the result, readily admitted that their battle for a semi-final berth was far from over.

“I am glad that we succeeded in taking an advantage into the second-leg match. But believe me, nothing is confirmed. There is still plenty to be done in the return match and we can expect Nur Insafi to throw everything at us on Saturday,” he said.

“What we can ill afford to do is to repeat the defensive approach we took in the second half today. We have to continue to bring the fight to them as we did in the first half. Otherwise, it could spell trouble.”

Nur Insafi reacted positively after conceding the goal to Maybank.

With twin strikers Prem Kumar and Mubeen Ur Rehman a constant menace, Nur Insafi had Maybank pinned deeo in defence.

They earned seven penalty corners in the second half but drew blanks. Maybank goalkeeper Mohd Hanafi Hassan pulled off two great saves while his defenders turned away all the other Nur Insafi set-piece attempts.

Mubeen did beat Mohd Hanafi with a rising shot in the dying minutes of the match but the woodwork stood in the way.

Nur Insafi coach Dr Thaitchana Muruthi did not hide his disappointment over the defeat.

“I felt very sorry for the boys. They were plain unlucky. But all is not lost. From our creativity today, I am confident we can overturn the deficit and beat Maybank to qualify for the semi-finals,” he said.

The winners of the tie will play against Division One champions Ernst and Young for a place in the final.

The other semi-final is between defending champions Tenaga Nasional and Sapura.