Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School Thunderbolt teams lifted the TNBMJHL Men and Women Overall Cup at the Tun Razak Hockey Stadium today.
The men won the overall crown for the seventh time in a dramatic 4-3 penalty shootout victory over Pahang Hockey Academy Thunderbolt following a 2-2 draw in regulation time while the women pulled off a 3-2 win in similar fashion over Kuala Lumpur Sports School Wipers after 1-1 draw in full time.
Pahang Hockey Academy Thunderbolt has never beaten SSTMI Thunderbolt since featuring in Division One of the MJHL three years ago and was prepared to surprise the heavyweights.
SSTMI, on the opposite end, arrived in the final as the most decorated team in the MJHL having won a total of 12 titles – six leagues and six overall – under coach Wan Roslan Wan Abdul Rahman.
There was so much at stake for both teams in the final and the drama quickly unfolded into a thick plot.
SSTMI’s mastery showed nine minutes into the game when 17-year-old Muhammad Akhimullah Anuar Esook turned in a Shello Silverius cross into goal but Pahang Hockey Academy quickly doused the excitement in the terrace with a Mohd Hazzim Amin field goal in a counter attack less than a minute later. Muhammad Fikri Amerrunizzar, however, restored SSTMI’s lead in the 24th minute via a penalty corner conversion.
With the clock ticking away, the best of Pahang Hockey Academy Thunderbolt went on show in the 54th minute when Muhammad Idris Samad sneaked the ball past SSTMI goalkeeper Muhammad Aidil Md Shah to draw level 2-2, turning the match into another roller coaster night of penalty shootouts. SSTMI Thunderbolts went on to triumph 4-3 for their seventh overall title.
Both teams, however, shared the total winning purse of RM65, 000 (RM40, 000 to the winner and RM25, 000 to the runner-up in lieu of the final ending in a draw in regulation time).
SSTMI women’s team also celebrated a back-to-back MJHL Cup 2017 (Women) title with a 3-2 win in penalty shootouts over Kuala Lumpur Sports School Wipers in the final. The match had earlier ended in a 1-1 draw.
KLSS Wipers blew away another opportunity to walk tall as they had the best chance of breaking SSTMI’s domination in the overall final of Malaysian Junior Women Hockey League.
Since the reintroduction of the MJHL (Women) last year it was SSTMI who stood tall over their arch rivals, defeating KLSS Wipers 2-1 in the 2016 final and triumphed 1-0 in the 2017 season league match.
“It was a great performance from my players especially in the third and fourth quarters. They had not settled in the first half and came back strongly. For a moment I thought it was KLSS Wipers show until we scored the equalizer,” said SSTMI head coach Azlizam Abdul Shukor.
“The penalty shootout was another hair-raising experience. The girls did well against all odds as in a shootout it is anybody’s game. I will always cherish this day.”
Prolific goal poacher Hasya Syahida Saifuddin, who is the tournament’s top scorer with 10 goals to her credit, had earlier pushed KL Wipers to the front with a fourth minute penalty corner conversion goal but SSTMI came rallying back in full force with a 49th minute equalizer via open play through Norrobiatun Norhisham.
However, after a pulsating touch-and-go affair in the shootouts, it was Nurul Fatin Fatiah who kept SSTMI flag flying high in sudden death after Qasidah Najwa was stopped in her tracks by goalkeeper Aina Nadiah Fadzil, paving the way for the Bandar Penawar-based sports school to lift the overall title.
Both teams, however, shared the total prize money of RM40, 000 (RM25, 000 to champion and RM15, 000 to runner-up).
SSTMI also pocketed another RM7, 000 for emerging champions in Group A of the League with 14 points and KLSS Wipers RM3, 500 for finishing second (9 points).
MSSPP-PSHA-USM pocketed RM RM7, 000 for being Group B champions in the league whilst PKS Uniten-KPT took home RM3, 500 for second-place.
ROLL OF HONOURS:
TNB MJHL Overall Champion: SSTMI Thunderbolt (RM32, 500)
Runner-up: Pahang Hockey Academy Thunderbolt (RM32, 500)
Man of the Match: Shello Silverius (SSTMI)
Top Scorer: Muhammad Akhimullah Anuar Esook (SSTMI Thunderbolt – 16 Goals)
Most Promising Player (Chua Boon Huat Cup): Muhammad Ariff Syafie Ishak (SSTMI).
Fairplay Trophy: BJSS Juniors
Division One Champion: Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya Tigers (RM20, 000)
Runner-up: SSTMI Thunderbolt (RM15, 000)
Third: BJSS Thunderbolt (RM10, 000)
WOMEN LEAGUE:
TNB MJHL(Women) Overall Champion: Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (RM20, 000)
Kuala Lumpur Sports School Wipers (RM20, 000)
Runner-up: Kuala Lumpur Sports School Wipers (RM20, 000)
Tournament’s Top Scorer: Hasya Syahida Saifuddin (KLSS Wipers – RM1, 500).
Player of the Match: Qasidah Najwa Muhd Halimi (KLSS Wipers – RM1, 500)
Group A Champion: Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School (RM7, 000)
Runner-up: Kuala Lumpur Sports School Wipers (RM3, 500)
Group B Champion: MSSPP-PSHA-USM (RM7, 000)
Runner-up: PKS Uniten-KPT (RM3, 500)
