Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) berdepan kesukaran sebelum melakar kemenangan 2-1 ke atas Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) pada saingan Liga Perdana, TNB Liga Hoki Malaysia semalam.

Berlangsung di Stadium Tun Razak, UiTM mempamer aksi cemerlang sepanjang separuh masa pertama apabila berjaya mencipta beberapa peluang untuk menjaringkan gol.

Namun segala peluang itu termasuk satu penalti stroke yang diperoleh pada minit ke-22 disia-siakan begitu saja.

Meskipun kali pertama menurunkan lima daripada enam pemain importnya iaitu Martrijn Havenga, Valentin Verga, Robert Kemperman (Belanda), Timothy Deavin dan Kieran Govers (Australia), UniKL dilihat agak bergelut. 

Sama seperti UiTM, UniKL juga dihadiahkan penalti stroke di suku ketiga tetapi tolakan Muhammad Razie Abdul Rahim sedikit tersasar di luar gawang gol.

UniKL akhirnya berjaya memecah kebuntuan minit ke-40 menerusi Mohamad Sukri Abdul Mutalib yang melakukan pukulan rendah selepas menerima hantaran dari Kemperman.

UniKL kemudian dihadiahkan penalti stroke selepas penjaga gol UiTM, Mohd Adi Fazri Ab Rahim menjatuhkan Kemperman sebelum Havenga menyempurnakan penalti stroke minit ke-46.

Seminit sebelum tamat perlawanan, Mohd Azwar Abd Rahman merapatkan jurang untuk UiTM menerusi gol padang tetapi ia sudah terlambat untuk menafikan kemenangan UniKL.

Ketua jurulatih UniKL,  Arul Selvaraj mengakui barisan pemainnnya terutama tonggak import tidak beraksi dengan baik di awal permainan kerana perlu menyesuaikan diri dengan corak permainan mereka. 

“Di dalam senarai pemain memang nampak skuad kami sudah lengkap. Tetapi ia tidak menggambarkan prestasi di atas padang yang masih agak kucar kacir.

“Bagaimanapun ia sedikit pun tak merisaukan saya. Mereka semua terutamanya pemain import adalah antara pemain terbaik dunia.

“Saya yakin mereka dapat menyesuaikan diri dengan cepat,” katanya.

Arul juga memuji prestasi UiTM yang memberi saingan sengit kepada barisan pemainnya.

“Saya lihat UiTM sangat bekerja keras dan mereka sentiasa melakukan gerakan berbahaya ke kawasan kami,” katanya.

UniKL akan bertemu TNB 18 Januari ini di Stadium Tengku Abdullah, Bangi. 

UniKL get past UiTM with Sukri and Havenga goals

Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) came back from a gripping first half performance to defeat Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) 2-1 in the TNB-MHL Premier League at the Tun Razak Stadium yesterday.

National team captain and defender Sukri Abdul Mutalib opened account for UniKL in the 40th minute via field goal and Dutchman Martijn Havenga extended the lead in the 46th minute from a penalty stroke after Robert Kemperman was brought down by goalkeeper Mohd Adi Fazri.

UiTM reduced the deficit at the close of the fourth quarter through Mohd Azwar Abdul Rahman in the 59th minute with a field goal.

“It was a good match from UiTM in the first half but I was confident the players will get their act right in the second half to win this match,” said UniKL coach Arul Selvaraj.

“The Dutch players arrived a day earlier and looked tired but with our next game scheduled on Friday only against TNB they should be ready.”

UiTM head coach Meor Mohd Shahril, said: “I am happy with the performance of the players against a strong side as UniKL. We took the game to UniKL and this is good for the morale of the players.”

For the first time in the league, UniKL paraded five of their six foreign players –Martijn Havenga, Valentin Verga and Kemperman (Holland), together with Australians Timothy Deavin and Kieran Govers.

Goalkeeper David Harte of Ireland is nursing a minor groin injury and was kept out of today’s game, leaving Adrian Andy Albert busy between the goalposts throughout the match.

UiTM introduced midfielder Kentaro Fukudo, a member of Japan’s 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games gold-medal winning squad, whilst awaiting the arrival of two Bangladesh and an Indian player who have yet to get the green light from their respective Ministry of Defence.

Following a 3-1 defeat in the Charity Shield match against Terengganu Hockey Team (THT) two days earlier after 2-2 draw in regulation time that earned both teams one point each, UniKL needed to break the streak with a handsome win against UiTM today to earn three points. They now have four points in the bag.

However, much to their chagrin, it was UiTM that controlled the first half, earning three penalty corners and in the process were also awarded a penalty stroke in the 22nd minute while UniKL had none coming their way.

Mohd Azwar Abdul Rahman’s flick to the left post was palmed away by a diving Adrian as the first half ended in a scoreless draw.

The second half got off to a frenzy mood with both teams in search of the first goal. The closest UniKL came was in the early third quarter when they were awarded a penalty stroke. Razie Abdul Rahim, however, blew this opportunity to put the 2018 overall champions ahead with a wide flick past goalkeeper Adi Fazri.

The third and fourth quarters was equally contested and it took the experience of Sukri and Havenga to pull UniKL through while UiTM kept the challenge with a solitary goal from Azwar.

UniKL will next go face to face against Tan Sri P. Alagendra Cup champions Tenaga Nasional Berhad at the Tengku Abdullah Hockey Stadium in Bangi, the home venue of UniKL.

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