UniKL geared up to defend MHL treble

KUALA LUMPUR: After the historic feat of winning the Malaysian Hockey League (MHL) treble - Charity Shield, Premier League and TNB Cup - a year ago, Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) are raring to defend all the titles when the 2021 season kicks off tomorrow.

The university team will begin their campaign against runners-up, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) in the Charity Shield match at Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium in the new normal under the sports bubble concept, with the high aim of winning every single match lined up in MHL.

UniKL head coach Megat Azrafiq Termizi said despite short training phases and lack of friendly matches that all teams have been facing due to the Movement Control Order (MCO) to contain COVID-19, his players are mentally geared up for the ultimate task.

"Our Charity shield match against TNB will be of most importance as a win will not only give us a good start but also provide us the motivation that we can repeat history and win titles again," he said in a statement today.

UniKL will look to their goal poachers in drag-flick specialist Muhammad Razie Abdul Rahim, Marhan Jalil, Sukri Abdul Mutalib, Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin Abdul Jalil and a core of experienced senior players in the likes of Baljit Singh Charan Singh, Harvinder Singh, and Mohd Izwan Firdaus Tajuddin.

"However, in the absence of Ireland's goalkeeper David Harte and a huge number of foreign players who have been the backbone in UniKL's success previously, the task of keeping the opponents at bay from scoring will rest solely on national team goalkeeper Adrian Andy Albert," he added.

The 24-year-old Sabahan's skills was recognised in UniKL's 3-2 victory over Terengganu Hockey Team in the 2020 Charity Shield match in Kuala Terengganu.

Midfielder-cum-defender Baljit Singh, who has seen the varsity side rise from his early time since 2012, said that UniKL must keep the 'base discipline intact' and their well-oiled formation and passing game in top gear without letting a moment of composure collapse throughout the league.

"We have to play decent hockey without thinking of the past, not letting the pressure of being treble winners get into us. Every team would love to beat us and we are also aiming to dismantle them," added the 34-year-old, who is an assistant coach in the MHC Development platform.

Meanwhile, experienced striker Tengku Ahmad Tajudin said fitting the league in the earliest window available, is good move as many tournaments postponed due to COVID-19 are expected be rescheduled in the coming months.

-- BERNAMA