That’s because they’ll be playing on familiar ground — the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil — and that, they feel, suits their game plan just fine.
Ernst and Young could not get their attacking game going in the first-leg at the Seremban II Hockey Stadium on Friday, needing a last-minute goal to beat Maybank 2-1.
But team manager George Koshy vowed yesterday that they would go on the offensive in the return leg as the pitch at Bukit Jalil was conducive to attacking play.
“I expect my players to do better as we should be able to play our normal game at the National Hockey Stadium. A one-goal lead is never enough so we will attack and go for goals right from the start,” he said.
Matches between Ernst and Young and Maybank this season have all been close, with the Tigers using their counter-attacking strategy to good effect against the league champions.
“They are most dangerous on the counter. We expect them to play a more open game in the return-leg as they too need to score goals. This will suit us but, at the same time, we need to be careful not to under-estimate them,” said Koshy.
Penalty corner specialist Zulkifli Rejab, who missed the first-leg, is again doubtful for Ernst and Young after aggravating an old leg injury. But they have Baljit Singh Sarjab and Mohd Razie Abdul Rahim, who are both just as deadly from penalty corner setpieces.
Maybank coach S. Vellapan has promised to give favourites Ernst and Young a hard fight.
“We can overcome the one-goal deficit if we match them in all departments,” he said.
The other semi-final sees Sapura, holding a 3-1 lead over defending champions Tenaga Nasional, starting as favourites to make the Dec 27 final.
Sapura played a fast game in the first leg and took their chances well. Tenaga will need to cut off Sapura’s long passes and get more players up front to put away their chances.
Tenaga’s knack of fighting back from the odds will be fully tested today.
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