Reeling on the back of two consecutive defeats in the TNB-MHL Women’s League 2024, Combined State Mustang Hockey Team (CS Mustang HT) is determined to recover from the setback and embark on a fresh journey in the remaining matches of the tournament.
Mustang HT manager, Muhammad Zaharani Dato’ HK Maulud, said the team management provides opportunities for youngsters eager in chasing their dreams of playing the game.
“Winning matches would be wonderful. We are here to give the players every opportunity and experience competing in as many tournaments against stronger teams. I was extremely excited at their determination in the first match against KL City. Although we lost (0-1), the players cooked-up one of the feel-good performances,” said Zaharani.
“And against China’s Liaoning Club in the second match, we were down 0-3 by the end of the first half before losing 5-0. I am confident this team is showing signs of improvement under coach Roshin Nordin. Liaoning had two or three former national team players in the side against us with experience but we did pretty well too.”
“The score indicates Liaoning dominated the match but we also had our fair share of ball possession and penalty corners. What the players did not do is score goals. I would like to see this team finish among the top five teams in the league,” he said.
“At this moment, the team is enjoying the experience of playing against stronger teams in the senior league. Last year we competed in the national junior league. When you play against strong teams, the players will also go into top gear to match their opponents,” he said, adding that the hot weather has also been a challenging moment for his players.
Mustang HT will entertain former champions PDRM Blue Warriors in their third league match today at the Tun Razak Hockey Stadium in Jalan Duta.
The oldest player in the side is Nurul Shafizan Amran, 27, while 16-year-old Aqhinatul Safiyyah Hashmi, a midfielder, is the youngest.
A Form 3 student at Brainy Bunch International School in Cyberjaya, Safiyyah, as she is commonly known by teammates, says she aspires to represent the national junior’s team and hopes to impress national team selectors in the league.
“This is the first time we are competing in the senior national league. The experience here has showed me that I need to work more on my fitness, improve my speed and also pack more punch in my shots,” said Safiyyah.
