The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Club create MHL history by winning third straight double
- Chinese blogger ‘sorry’ for threat against Federer
- Vettel and Alonso to duel for Formula One lead in Yeongam
| Club create MHL history by winning third straight double Posted: 10 Oct 2012 05:22 PM PDT KUALA LUMPUR: KL Hockey Club (KLHC) created history in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) by winning their third straight double when they outplayed Tenaga Nasional 3-0 in the TNB Cup final at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil last night. The match, scheduled to start at 8pm, was delayed by 90 minutes due to heavy rain. It was KLHC's fourth overall title as they also won in 2008, 2010 and last year. They pocketed RM60,000. As for Tenaga, it was their second straight defeat to KLHC in the final as they lost 3-2 last year. The runners-up took home RM40,000. Tenaga were a letdown in the final as they hardly created any chances in the first-half. KLHC rested their national goalkeeper Roslan Jamaluddin and started with reserve Mohd Harfizi Baharom. They went on the offensive from the start when Tengku Ahmad Tajudin's hit from the top D was well saved by Tenaga goalkeeper S. Kumar in the fifth minute. There was no denying Tengku Ahmad four minutes later when he collected a through pass from Azlan Misron before slamming the ball past Kumar. A minute later, Tenaga's Mohd Faiz Helmi was stretchered off after he suffered a cut in his forehead after being hit by KLHC's Chua Boon Huat. Surprisingly, umpire K. Lingam did not send Boon Huat to the sin bin for the offence. KLHC increased their lead in the 13th minute when Ismail Abu picked up a pass from Kelvinder Singh in the semi-circle and fired home. Boon Huat had a chance to make it 3-0 in the 27th minute but his reverse-stick effort went just inches wide. KLHC went 3-0 up in the 32nd minute when Mohd Razie Abdul Rahim's through pass found Mohd Amerullah Abdul Aziz, whose brilliant reverse-stick attempt sounded the board. Tenaga then brought on their top scorer Faizal Saari, still nursing a hamstring injury, and it was no surprise that he failed to make an impact. KLHC almost made it 4-0 in the 45th minute when Azlan Misron's effort off a penalty corner went wide. Tenaga earned their first penalty corner in the 52nd minute but Mohd Amin Rahim's flick was saved by Mohd Harfizi. Tenaga's forwards also failed make the most out of a few chances created in the last 15 minutes. KLHC coach K. Dharmaraj praised his players for scoring three goals in the first-half to quickly kill off their opponents. "We took control from the start and scored some brilliant goals. I could not have asked for anything better," said Dharmaraj. "We also created history by becoming the first team in the MHL since its inception 1987 to win a third straight double." MHL history was also made when Maybank and Sapura were declared joint third after their match was abandoned in the 58th minute due to the downpur. The score was 2-2 when the match was stopped. Debutants Johor HA upset Division One champions Armed Forces 4-2 to lift the President's Cup. The match was also abandoned in the 65th minute. Johor HA received RM30,000 for the success. In the third place playoff, Thunderbolt defeated Bukit Jalil Sports School 5-3 to take home RM10,000. |
| Chinese blogger ‘sorry’ for threat against Federer Posted: 10 Oct 2012 04:12 PM PDT SHANGHAI: A blogger in China who made a death threat against Roger Federer said he had apologised but remained at large after vowing to "assassinate" the world number one, according to an Internet posting. An Internet user under the name "Blue Cat Polytheistic Religion Founder 07" threatened the tennis player before he arrived to play, prompting organisers to step up security for the Shanghai Masters, which started on Sunday. "I have not been arrested," said a posting on China's popular baidu.com site, where the original threat also appeared. "I took the initiative to contact the relevant people to apologise," said the message, which was posted around midday on Tuesday. The original threat read: "On October 6, I plan to assassinate Federer for the purpose of tennis extermination." The user also posted a doctored image showing a decapitated Federer on his knees on a tennis court, with an axe-wielding executioner standing next to him. Shanghai Masters organisers said last week ahead of the competition that they were taking the bizarre threat "seriously" while Federer himself labelled it a "distraction" after arriving in the Chinese commercial hub. "Obviously maybe it's a little bit of a distraction, there's no doubt about it," Federer said on Sunday. "It was something just very small on a website, nothing clear and concrete, people just debating." Federer's wife and twin daughters have not travelled to China but he said that decision had nothing to do with the threats. Federer has been surrounded by a dozen security guards in dark suits who also stayed on the sidelines around the court when he practised on Tuesday. A Shanghai police spokesman yesterday declined to comment on the case. In 1993, former world number one Monica Seles was stabbed by a fan during a match in Hamburg. — AFP |
| Vettel and Alonso to duel for Formula One lead in Yeongam Posted: 10 Oct 2012 04:46 PM PDT SEOUL (South Korea): Heading into this weekend's Korean Grand Prix, the Formula One drivers' championship is shaping up as a duel between defending champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull and leader Fernando Alonso of Ferrari. Vettel took his second consecutive checkered flag at the Japanese GP on Sunday to move within four points of Alonso with five races left. Alonso's lead was further eroded after he crashed out on the first turn in Suzuka. Vettel's dominating win from pole at Suzuka made him the first driver this season to record back-to-back victories, and he joined Alonso and Mercedes-bound Lewis Hamilton as the only drivers to win three times this season. Despite his recent success, Vettel said a lot of things can change between now and the end of the season. "Things can change very quickly," said Vettel, who also won last year's Korean GP. "It's much closer now but every weekend can be different. It's a very new calendar for all of us this year with back-to-back races in Japan and Korea and then in America and Brazil, so we just have to focus on each individual race and see what happens." Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo said Alonso has been a victim of bad luck and, if not for the mistakes of other drivers, would be in a better position. "We know we can count on the strongest driver around at the moment, and it's only mistakes from others at Spa and again at Suzuka that have prevented him from having a more comfortable lead over his rivals," Montezemolo said. Alonso was unable to finish the Belgium GP after a spectacular crash caused by Lotus driver Romain Grosjean. The Spaniard also crashed out of the Japan race after Lotus driver Kimi Raikonnen made contact with his Ferrari at the first turn. "Let's not forget that," Montezemolo said. "But for those two collisions, today Fernando would have had at least 30 points more – and that's a conservative estimate." Hamilton remains optimistic he can assert himself in the title chase after his fifth-place finish in Japan kept the McLaren driver fourth in the standings, 42 points off the lead. "I think we've had the potential to win both Korean races in the past," Hamilton said. "But I've never had a race weekend there on which everything has gone quite right for me. "We've got momentum on our side once again, so I head to Korea determined to fight for victory." Mercedes driver Michael Schumacher, who announced last week that he will retire at the end of the season, said he is looking forward to the race in South Korea after finishing 11th in Japan. "The basic characteristics should be more favourable for us than in Japan," Schumacher said. "So we're heading to Korea in a positive mood. "It's a pity because the circuit layout makes for good racing, but I think the situation is improving each year. It's a very challenging track and well designed, which lots of the drivers enjoy." Raikkonen is third in the drivers' standings, 37 points off the lead and five ahead of fourth-placed Hamilton, in his first season back after a stint in rallying. Next in the table lie Red Bull's Mark Webber, and Button. "I've never been to Korea, but it doesn't make a difference for me," said the no-nonsense Raikkonen. "Since I was very young I have always been able to pick up circuits very quickly. This has not changed. It's always interesting to race at a new venue and I enjoy going to different places. It gives me a good feeling." The Korean Grand Prix is in only its third edition, and has suffered teething problems with heavy rain and patchy local interest. Alonso won here in 2010 and Vettel took the honours in 2011. Qualifying is on Saturday at 0500 GMT and the race on Sunday at 0600 GMT. Initial forecasts are for dry, sunny weather on both days. — Agencies |
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