Goodwood HC booked their ticket to the semifinals of the TNB-QNET-SHL2016 when they beat Gurstick HC 2-0 in a crucial winner-takes-all tie.
Indran Manikam scored the opening goal for Goodwood at the start of the second quarter with a well taken field goal.
Gurstick HC went on the attack looking for the equalizer but could not find a way through the resolute and determined Goodwood HC defense.
Goodwood doubled their lead on the 33rd minute as Anbalagan Jayabalan converted a penalty corner and they held on to that lead till final whistle.
Senil Solutions – needing only a point from two matches to book their semifinal ticket – survived a scare as Puchong HC needing a win to qualify, took the lead in the 28th minute when Mohd Noor Khairul Azrin scored via penalty corner set piece.
Puchong HC were just a minute away from a semifinal ticket but Senil Solutions’s Jasveer Singh broke their hearts when he nailed the equalizer in a fast counter attack in the last minute of play.
IIUM Mustang thought they would have it easy against Synergy Hockey Club who lost the chance to qualify to the semifinals after losing 6-1 to River Blue Gombak in a midweek match.
But Synergy HC had other plans as they were resolute in defense with their German goalkeeper Martin Maximilian Gedert pulling off a few brilliant save.
The Mustang who have been on a scoring spree with 29 goals to date could not find a way a defence marshaled
by Sri Muhunan Rajaratnam.
IIUM Mustang were given a shock on 36 minutes as Synergy’s South African born Dean Ward through ball to Mohd Hafiz Hashim earned his team a penalty corner.
Sivanesan Nadaraja stepped up and let loose a stiff grounder to the left corner of the goal giving his team the
lead. The goal jolted IIUM Mustang up and theyy duly threw everyone into the attack and they were rewarded on the 41st minute as Mohd Anuar Syafir’s tomahawk shot crashed off Martin Gedert’s helmet and into the goal for the equalizer.
In the last quarter both teams took turns into the offensive but neither could break the deadlock as the game ended in a draw.
IIUM Mustang will face Goodwood HC in the cross over semifinals on the 8th October while Senil Solutions will face the winner of Selayang vs River Blue Kuala Selangor.
In Division 5, an explosive semifinal awaits the four school teams that qualified to the semifinals of the TNB-QNET- SHL 2016.
Group A SJI-Warrior unbeaten to date will take on the STAR Klang team while Gerakan Belia 4B Puchong will take on the team Pengkalang Permatang, Kuala Selangor based school team.
Both matches will be played on 8 October at the Education Ministry Stadium.
SJL-Warriors has only conceded three goals in their campaign will have their credentials tested by the attacking driven STAR Klang who have scored 46 goals todate.
In the other semifinals, Gerakan Belia team from Puchong will not find it easy against Pengkalang Permatang who has been on a scoring spree as of late.
