Big Boys...

...Coming In.

Today the big boys in Malaysian football will take to the field as the Malaysian Super League kick-off with seven matches across the nation. It is also the day which will see Singapore returning to the Malaysian football scene after leaving in 1995.

In the round only afternoon kick-off, Felda United will take on Sabah at the Hang Jebat Stadium in Melaka at 4.45pm. Meanwhile further down south, Singapore XII host defending Super League champions, Kelantan at the Jalan Besar Stadium. The match is scheduled to kick off at 7.45pm.

The Lions skipper, Shahril Ishak is wary of the East Coast team's reputation but they have made a dossier of the Stags strengths and weaknesses and now are ready to take on Peter Butler's charges. The Singaporeans are also hoping the unfamiliarity of Malaysian teams playing on an artificial pitch will be to their advantage.

Across the South China Sea, Robert Alberts' boys will face Kuala Lumpur on their return to the top flight. Last season Premier League runners-up are looking to take full points against the cash strapped City Boys who are made up with almost entirely new face for the new season.

At the Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium in Paroi, two coaches whose teams met on the last day of the 2011 Malaysian League, will meet on the first day of this season competition. Azrai Khor Abdullah whose Negeri Sembilan team got the better of Irfan Bakti's Terengganu in the Malaysia Cup final will entertain the Kelantanese coach who this time will try his luck with the Red Giants of Selangor.

Terengganu meanwhile under new Head Coach, Mat Zan Mat Aris will have to rely on local talents at least until March after their foreign players are ruled ineligible to play in the league by FAM, despite receiving a circular stating they are able to sign them beyond the registration deadline.

FAM Secretary-General Datuk Azzudin Ahmad later apologized for the mix-up and clarified that the circular was referring to the AFC Cup competition and not the league.

The Turtles travel to Ipoh to take on The Buffaloes and after finishing last season Super League in second place, are hoping for a good start to ensure they will be able to challenge for the title again.

In Kuala Terengganu, club side PBDKT T-Team entertain Kedah at the Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah. After losing three influential players in Norfarhan Muhammad, Indra Putra Mahyudin and Azizi Che Rose during the close season, T-Team have strengthen their side with the signing of Selangor duo Fadzlie Saari and Iqbal Suhaimi, former Perlis striker Zachariah Simukonda and Bosnian defender, Bojan Petric.

The Canaries meanwhile have retained most of their core players and will be hoping to get a good result in Kuala Terengganu in order for them to improve on their fourth place finish last season.


...

It's Here...

...Yo!

Fans of local football will be looking forward to today's round of fixture to get their fix when the 2012 Malaysian League begin with the first match in the Premier League.


Matches will begin as early as 4.45pm with Sime Darby FC entertaining Young Tigers 'B' at the Selayang Municipal Stadium while around the same time in Muar, the Muar Municipal Council will take on Perlis at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium.

The rest of the fixtures will be played in the evening with Pahang taking on Johor Bahru City Council at the new home ground in Temerloh. In Pasir Gudang, Johor will play against the Royal Malaysian Police while at the USM Stadium, the university side will begin their league campaign against POS Malaysia FC.

The most awaited match will be the one in at the MBPJ Stadium in Kelana Jaya where big spending Malaysian Armed Forces entertain newcomers, Betaria FC the winner of the 2011 FAM Cup competition.

Terengganu do not have any team playing in the division but these pages will try to bring you the scores and standings of the Premier League as well as the Super League.

After the season opening Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Cup charity match on Saturday, this will be the real deal where points are up for grabs to ensure a good start to the long journey for these team with the sole aim to be among the elite in the Super League which will begin tomorrow.

Afternoon kick-off:
Sime Darby FC vs Young Tigers B
Muar MC vs Perlis

Evening kick-off:
Pahang vs Johor Bahru City Council
USM FC vs POS Malaysia FC
Johor vs Royal Malaysian Police
Malaysian Armed Forces vs Betaria FC


Update:
Results from the above fixtures:
Sime Darby FC [2] vs Young Tigers [1]
Muar MC [7] vs Perlis [2]
Pahang [1] vs Johor Bahru City Council [0]
USM FC [2] vs POS Malaysia FC [1]
Johor [1] vs Royal Malaysian Police [1]
Malaysian Armed Forces [2] vs Betaria FC [0]

...

Tiller Tops...

...till the End.

Young Kiwi skipper, William Tiller topped the qualifying round of the 2011 Monsoon Cup which also saw a contender for the WMRT title dropped out of contention. Torvar Mirsky of The Wave Muscat Team failed to finish among the top eight after losing a dramatic battle with another contender, Francesco Bruni (Bruni Racing) in the last flight.

Thus, when the quarter finals start today the only possible world champions would be fought between Ian Williams (Team GAC Pindar) and Bruni. Ironically both have been pitted against one another in the last eight draw and a win for the Brit would seal his third title.

It it is the other way around then a few more names could come into contention even though the odds would be hugely in favour of the favourable Italian to land his first WMRT title.

Tiller meanwhile has chosen to face Swedish skipper Johnie Berntsson (Berntsson Sailing Team) in the last eight while second placed Phil Robertson (WAKA Racing Team) has picked two time World Champion, Peter Gilmour as his opponent. It would be youth against experience for this two ties.

The last pairing is between Scandinavian rivals as Swedish skipper Bjorn Hansen (Mekonomen Sailing) has picked Danish Jesper Radich (Adrian Lee & Partners) as his opponent in the quarter-finals.

With the weather and current conditions fast becoming a telling factor in this year's edition of the Monsoon Cup, it will be very hard to tell who will progress to the last four of the competition.

One thing for sure, it is going to be very exciting.


...

Hansen Leads...

...the Pack.


Bjorn Hansen finished at the top of the pile after the opening day of the qualifying round ended yesterday. In condition that mirrored the tournament name, the race organizer had to call in the boats four times as conditions turned for the worse with winds at around 40 knots together with very heavy rain made racing impossible.


But Hansen, skippering his Mekonomen crews made the best when the race was on and recorded victories over tour leader Ian Williams (Team GAC Pindar), fellow Scandinavian Jesper Radich (Adrian Lee & Partners) and Kiwi youngster William Tiller (Full Metal Jacket Racing) for a 3-0 finish.

Another skipper with an unbeaten record on the first day was Johnie Berntsson (Berntsson Sailing Team) who recorded wins over Damien Iehl (French Match Racing Team) and Phil Robertson (WAKA Racing Team).


Peter Gilmour also recorded two wins against Williams and Malaysian Match Racing Champions, Jeremy Koo (Abdullah Chan/KRT) but suffered a defeat at the hands of Radich. Tiller also finished with an identical score to Gilmour with victories over fellow Kiwi Robertson and Mathieu Richard (French Match Racing Team).

Koo ended the day with a 0-3 scoreline and will be looking for his first win at the Monsoon Cup in the coming days.


Torvar Mirsky (The Wave Muscat) and Francesco Bruni (Bruni Racing) managed to start positively from their sole flights, registering wins over Koo and Richard. The Frenchman lost both his races and so did Williams but it is still early days and the position could change very fast like the weather at the Pulau Duyong basin.


...

So Near...

...yet so Far!

It was a final that broke so many Ganuan hearts. Their wish to see their team lifting the Malaysia Cup trophy for the first time since 2001 did not materialised after another Ganuan crushed their dream by scoring the winning goal for the opposition.


Former Terengganu forward, Hairudin Omar lived up to his reputation as a big time player by delivering the goods again for Negeri Sembilan. His strike towards the end of the match was enough to see off his former team, who he helped to their only Malaysia Cup triumph a decade ago.

It was a battle of tacticians with Terengganu Head Coach, Irfan Bakti opting to put his best line-up possible and to play their usual attacking game. However for Negeri Sembilan Head Coach, Azrai Khoor, he came with a strategy to stifle his opponent's game and that was to flood his midfield to ensure Terengganu midfielders would not be able to dictate the match.

It worked to perfection as the much vaunted Terengganu forward-line could not function effectively when they could not get their supply of passes. Every player in yellow worked hard to ensure The Terengganu players would not be comfortable on the ball.

But it was a testament to The Turtles fighting spirit and creativity that they managed to threaten the Negeri Sembilan goal on a number of occasion. Both Abdul Hadi Yahya and Ashaari Shamsudin forced the goalkeeper to work hard with their shots.

Terengganu managed to break the dead-lock in the second half. Going into the hour mark Abdul Manaf Mamat went on a solo run from a counter attack and his pass found Ashaari. The forward took a few touches before unleashing a shot which took a deflection that was enough to beat Farizal Marlias.

Negeri Sembilan came back at the Turtle but could not find the break through until ten minutes before time when a misjudgment by Terengganu goalkeeper, Sharbinee Allawee allowed Kunanlan high ball from the left to bounce past him into the net.

It was a goal that put a damper on every Ganuan, on and off the pitch.

Negeri Sembilan were on the ascendancy and five minutes later Hairudin struck with a wonderful volley from a cross from the right. It was a goal worthy to win any final and it was.

The Setiu born player was named Man of the Match and he certainly deserved the award not for just his performance in the final but throughout the campaign as well for Negeri Sembilan.

It was a heartbreaking moment for The Turtles and their fans. But looking back it has been a good season for them with a second place finish in the Super League, their highest since the inception of the new format.

Of course, the victory in the FA Cup back in June ensured they would not be finishing the season empty-handed.


...

Fatal...

...Fall

The world mourns the passing of a potential world champion with the death of Marco Simoncelli in a fatal accident during the MotoGP at the Sepang International circuit yesterday. The accident happened in round two when Simoncelli of San Carlo Gresini team, lost control of his bike and fell into the path of two other riders.

Colin Edwards of Yamaha Tech 3' team and Valentino 'The Doc' Rossi on a Ducati machine could not avoid the collision which saw Simoncelli losing his helmet. The former suffered a dislocated shoulder as the result from the collision.

Simoncelli was pronounced dead at around 5pm after efforts to resuscitate him failed. Initially the MotoGP race was red flagged and it was eventually cancelled due to safety reasons. Fans who were unaware of the severity of the incident vented their anger at the cancellation but orders were restored once the news of the fatality filtered down.

The death was the first to have occurred at the Sepang circuit and also the first in a MotoGP race since Daijiro Kato's fatal accident during the 2003 Japanese Grand Prix. However, at last year's San Marino Grand Prix another fatal accident happened that saw another Japanese ride, Showa Tomizawa losing his life.

The Simoncelli tragedy overshadowed the achievement of Malaysian rider Zulfahmi Khairuddin who recorded his best ever finish this season by finishing seventh in the 125cc category. It was the best achievement by a Malaysian rider in a decade and gave the young rider 30 points, propelling him to 17th place in the 125cc Championship.

The Banting born rider could achieve his target of finishing in the top 15 in the final round at Valencia if he could  get a positive result there.


...

Turtles Rule...

...as Giants Slained

After a ten year wait Terengganu finally returned to the final of Malaysia premier football competition, the Malaysia Cup. They eliminated Selangor 4-1 on aggregate which ended the Red Giants 'Mission 33' and set themselves for a 'double' after winning the FA Cup in June.

Having won the first leg 2-0 Terengganu began the second leg confidently in front of a capacity crowd at the Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah Stadium, Kuala Terengganu. Their striking trio of Abdul Manaf Mamat, Ashaari Shamsuddin and Abdul Hadi Yahya put the visitors' under pressure from the start.

However, it was Selangor who found the net first when Rudie Ramli connected with a low cross from Amirulhadi Zainal and diverted the ball past Terengganu goalkeeper, Mohamad Sharbinee Allawee.

Much to the relief of Terengganu players and fans, the assistant referee's flag was raised indicating the goal would not be counted for offside. It was a wake up call for Terengganu and they realised Selangor would not make it easy for them.

Thus they doubled up their efforts and tested Selangor goalkeeper, G. Jeevanathan in quick succession through Ashaari and Joseph Kalang Tie. However the on-loan goalkeeper stood the tests well to ensure his goal stayed intact.

Then in the 20th minute in a quick counter-attack, Hadi found Ashaari on the right wing and his delivery into the box found Manaf who took it under his control before selling a dummy to Selangor defender, Rozman Roslan. He then beat the unrushing Jeevanathan for his sixth goal of the current Malaysia Cup campaign.

The compact Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah Stadium erupted with joy as thousands of Terengganu fans celebrated the goal.

The match was played at a high tempo but there was no overly physical encounter, making the referee's job that much easier. The partnership of skipper Mohamad Mazuki and Faizal Mohamad at the heart of Terengganu defence was working well to thwart the Selangor attack.

Without their inspirational skipper, Amri Yahyah Selangor looked lost at times. Maniam decided to start with Amri on the bench, fearing he would not last the whole match as he was still recovering from an injury.

He only made his appearance in the last twenty five minutes but instead Terengganu were the one inspired when Ashaari when receving the ball from Mazlizam Mohamad from the right, lifted the ball with his toe before unleashing an unstoppable volley past Jeevanathan who dived in vain to stop the shot.

Terengganu were four goals up on aggregate and all seemed lost for Selangor. But credit to them for their fighting spirits, the Red Giants managed to pull a goal back through Safiq Rahim who came in unmarked from midfield to head home from close range.

But with three minutes of the match left, it was too little too late and when the referee blew the final whistle it was a scene of celebration at the Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah as Terengganu fans celebrated their team progress to their first Malaysia Cup final in ten years.

...