KUALA LUMPUR: Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UniTen-KPT) last won the Women's Malaysia Hockey League (WMHL) league title in 2018 and are in a good position to relive their glory days this season.
UniTen currently top the standings on 20 points after eight matches while their challengers Negri Sembilan are three points adrift. Both have relatively easy matches before they play each other on March 12 to decide the league title.
Negri Sembilan will first play Mutiara Impian while UniTen meet CS Hockey Team. Both can be expected to go for high scoring matches to strengthen their goal average. Negri currently hold a three-goal advantage over UniTen.
Negri, however, need to beat UniTen in the final match while the latter only needs a draw to lift the league title.
UniTen coach Izzwan Salleh is aware of what is at stake.
"Doing the math, we know that it will come down to the final match of the league between us and Negri to decide the League title. We need a draw, while Negri need a win," said Izzwan.
"I have spoken to my girls and everyone is ready for the last two matches in our fixtures."
Both UniTen and Negri have seven national players each but the university side have lost Siti Zulaikha Hussin to a knee injury.
"Siti is out for the season as she underwent knee surgery after that nasty injury while playing against Young Tigers," added Izzwan.
"Even then, I see my girls giving Negri a tough fight for a win in the final match as we yearn for more silverware."
National player Nuramirah Shakirah Zulkifli - top scorer in 2020,2021 and 2022 - will be Negri's ace player. She is currently in good form and leads the top-scorers list this season with 11 goals.
Surprisingly, Nurmaizatul Hanim Syafi is UniTen's topscorer with five goals which places her sixth on the list.
In the season-opening Charity Shield, UniTen and Negri played to a 1-1 draw with Negri taking the Shield after winning the shootout 2-1.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
from New Straits Times https://ift.tt/907Lemn
0 Comments