Maybank will go into a showdown against debutants Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) in the 2024 Malaysian Indoor Hockey League final tomorrow evening at the IOI Sports Arena Mall in Putrajaya .
Maybank defeated Armed Forces (ATM) 3-1 in the first men’s semi-finals this evening, before Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) edged defending champions Kuala Lumpur City Hall 5-4 in the second semifinals held later in the evening.
Maybank powered by five national indoor hockey team players including team captain Muhammad Najmi Farizal Jazlan, Maybank, advanced into final for the first time since the tournament was inaugurated in 2021.
The other national players in the squad are Meor Muhamad Azuan Hasan, Mohamad Ashran Hamsani, Muhamad Aslam Hanafiah and Muhammad Izham Azhar.
Meor Muhamad Azuan scored a brace with field goals in the 18th and 23rd minutes to give Maybank a 2-0 lead, while Najmi Farizal extended the lead to 3-0 with a penalty corner conversion in the 25th minute.
Armed Forces reduced the deficit to 3-1 through Mohammad Amirul Hanis Abdul Aziz’s penalty corner conversion in the 32nd minute.
Maybank coach Iman Gobinathan, said: “It was a good match against Armed Forces and we took our chances well. Armed Forces came back strongly in the third and fourth quarters and I am happy at the way the team defended.”
TNB, on the other hand, could not have asked for a better start to their journey in indoor hockey.
The team managed by former national Junior team coach Muhamad Amin Rahim and coached by former international Nor Azlan Bakar, took a 4-0 lead with a brace from Syed Mohammad Syafiq Syed Cholan via penalty corner conversions in the 17th and 22nd minutes.
Muhammad Aminuddin Md Zain (27th), Shello Silverius (28th minute) and Mughni Mohammad Kamal (33rd) added to DBKL’s misery.
KL City Hall replied with a hat-trick from Faridzul Afiq Mohd (11th, 33rd and 34th minutes), and a piece from Wan Arif Faizuddin (40th).
“We are excited to be in the final and we know it is going to be a very tough match against Maybank. Both teams have the services of national players and we must play a much better game against a strong opposition like Maybank,” said Nor Azlan.