KLHC beats TNB 2-1 to win TNB Cup

Defending champion Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club (KHLC) had to dig deep into their reserves to overcome a spirited Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) side 2-1 in the TNB Cup final at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil, here, Sunday.

The win saw KHLC accomplish a hattrick of titles by incidentally beating TNB for three years in a row. With the win, KLHC took home the trophy and RM70,000 top prize while TNB had to be contended with being second best for the third consecutive year and the second prize purse of RM50,000.

Among those who watched the exciting final were Malaysian Hockey Confederation president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah and newly appointed Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaludin.

"TNB played a very good match today but my boys were also in their element to register the victory. It is a great victory and we are happy to have won the title for the third consecutive year," said KHLC coach Muhammad Dhaarma Raj Abdullah.

The win also saw KHLC become double champions for the fifth time since they had also won the Malaysian Hockey League title.

Today's match started on a fast and furious pace and TNB who were looking the better side early in the match, deservedly took the lead through Amir Farid Ahmad Fuzi in the 8th minute.

KLHC however, equalised in the 20th minute through Syed Syamim Mohd Yusof's penalty corner strike. TNB were handed a golden opportunity to restore the lead when TNB were awarded a penalty stroke in the 24th minute when Faizal Saari was brought down by Fareed Ahmed inside the box.

However, Faizal who picked himself up failed to convert the stroke but when KHLC earned a penalty stroke in the 64th minute, Muhammad Imran beat S. Kumar in goal for the what turned out to be the winner.