Titans, Warriors gain crucial points

Melaka Titans finally registered only their second win of the season after defeating Kedah Eagles 2-0 in their Ekspres Perdana Sepak Takraw League (STL) 2016 match at the Serdang Jaya Municipal Council Stadium, today.

After the Titans endured a horrendous October and November with back-to-back defeats, they finally began the last month of the season on the right track as they swept Eagles aside within only 46 minutes of the match.

The last time both these sides met in the reversed fixture, the results favoured Eagles as they went home with a 2-1 (14-21, 21-15, 21-14) victory.

Riduan Ramli, coach of Titans chose Zarlizan Zakaria (feeder) in place of the experienced Lutfi Asiman, accompanied by Azwan Yahya (striker) and national “tekong” player, Sahidan Ali.

The trio combined well after going down early in the first set to comeback against all odds to claim the first set with a 21-18 win. In the second set, the trio refused to remove their feet of the pedal when they strolled to an early lead and dominated throughout, hampering Eagles trio Nazirul Akram Razali (tekong), Zuleffendi Sumari (feeder) and Shahrol Nizam Romli (striker) any chances of producing a comeback.

Titans then, went on triumphant mood as they cruised to a 21-13 win to finally have a taste at victory after their only win previously was in the opening match of the season against ATM Guardians, late September. 

This win could prove the difference as the season approaches the end with the Titans currently occupying bottom place, in fear of relegation with only three matches remaining in the season.

The day’s second match saw Kelantan Warriors scramble for vital points as they move away from relegation place into sixth (Eagles dropped into seventh), with a 2-0 win against Johor Tigris.

Warriors’ trio Khairul Hisham Yusoff (tekong), Aidil Aiman Zawawi (feeder) and Naim Izani Noor (striker) started the match brightly and gave no chance for the Tigris to play their game as they snatched a 21-16 victory.

However, they lost their foot in the second set early on allowing the trio from the South, Amirul Asyraaf Khairul (tekong), Lutfil Azmi (feeder) and Norhafizi Razak (striker) to dominate the set. Warriors then got hold of themselves as they powered back towards the end to go home with a hard-fought 22-20 victory.

Today’s defeat will have landed a dent on Tigris hopes of catching up with ATM Guardians for the last play-off spot. They will now look forward to their next match tomorrow against Kuala Lumpur Thunder currently in third spot who will be looking to bounce back after yesterday’s defeat at the hands of Guardians.

Panthers Maul Turtles’ Winning Streak

Penang Black Panthers overcame all odds to finally break Terengganu Turtles 11-match undefeated streak after a hard-fought 2-1 win in the eighth round of the Ekspres Perdana Sepak Takraw League (STL) 2016 at the Serdang Jaya Municipal Council Stadium today.

Turtles were triumphant over the Panthers the last time both these sides met with a 2-1 (21-15, 14-21, 21-19) win.

As expected, the Turtles trio Zulkifli Razak (tekong), Azwan Muhrim (feeder) and Kamal Alfiza Shafie (striker) took home the first set 21-17 after dominating for the most part of it.

The introduction of striker Azlan Alias midway through the tie motivated the Black Panthers to a 21-14 second set win as they stayed alive and forced a rubber set.

That forced Turtle’s coach, Vitaya Boonta to rush ruthless striker, Fadzli Roslan straight back into action despite Fadzli still recovering from a back injury suffered during the reverse fixture against the Penangites.

However, it was Azlan who starred as his vital blocks and spikes inspired the Black Panthers to a famous victory as he, alongside Syahir Rosdi and captain, Zaim Razali secured a famous victory and upset the many Terengganu fans who made the trip down south to support their beloved team.

Despite the loss, Terengganu Turtles stay top, 4 points ahead of Penang Black Panthers who have a game in hand. Panthers will hope to cut Turtles lead to 2 points when they face bottom-of-the-table Melaka Titans on Sunday.

Meanwhile in a third against fourth encounter, defending champions ATM Guardians proved victorious after claiming a 2-1 victory over Kuala Lumpur Thunder to move level on points with the City Boys.

The Guardians started the stronger side as their trio of Nazmi Najib (tekong), Norfaizzul Razak (feeder) and Afiffudin Razali (striker) beat the Thunder’s Aizat Nor Azmi (tekong), Amirul Zazwan Amir (feeder) and Zamree Dahan (striker) 21-16 in the first set.

In the second set, Thunders’ powered back to win 21-16 to ensure they put up a tough fight to remain in third place of the league bringing the match into the rubber set.The rubber set saw both teams play catch up with each other as both were guilty of unforced errors made throughout.

However, Guardians with the help of Hasman Che Hamid who came in place for Nazmi saw out a 21-12 win to ensure they book the last playoff spot as the season approaches the end.After today’s defeat, Thunders’ will next face Johor Tigris on Sunday as they look to confirm their playoff spot, with only three matches remaining.

RESULTS:

Friday (2 December 2016):

Ekspres Perdana Sepak Takraw League (STL):

Penang Black Panthers bt Terengganu Turtles 2-1 (17-21, 21-14, 21-16)

ATM Guardians bt Kuala Lumpur Thunder 2-1 (21-16, 16-21, 21-12)

FIXTURES:

Ekspres Perdana Sepak Takraw League (STL):

Saturday (3 December 2016): Kedah Eagles v Melaka Titans (4pm), Kelantan Warriors v Johor Tigris (5.30pm).

Sunday (4 December 2016): Melaka Titans v Penang Black Panthers (4pm), Johor Tigris v Kuala Lumpur Thunder (5.30pm).

Turtles proving to be indestructible

Terengganu Turtles took Melaka Titans for a walk in the park when they strolled to an easy 2-0 win in their Ekspres Perdana Sepak Takraw League (STL) 2016 match which took place at the Serdang Jaya Municipal Council Stadium, today.

It took only 40 minutes for the league leaders, Turtles to send the Titans packing back with zero points in this round of the STL, after yesterday’s defeat to Johor Tigris which saw them remain at the summit of the league.

Turtles came into the match with wariness at the back of their mind after they only managed to scrape out a 2-1 win (22-20, 17-21, 21-17) in their previous meeting in the reverse fixture, early October.

Vitaya Boonta, Turtles Thailand-born coach fielded a strong line-up with only their talismen, Fadzli Roslan and Hanafiah Dollah missing out due to injury. Kamal Alfiza Shafie (striker) in place of Fadzli, playing only in his third match of the season continued to impress while providing Vitaya with the selection headache once Fadzli recovers from injury.

Titans trio Sahidan Ali (tekong), Lutfi Asiman (feeder) and Azwan Yahya (striker) trailed the Turtles early on by 8 points in the first set and the Turtles maintained that gap for most part of the set before going on to win 21-11.

The second set provided no difference as Turtles again overcame the Titans with the same score line to go home with a record 10^th consecutive victory putting them one hand on the title after already qualifying for the play-off spot with only four matches remaining.

Titans on the brink of relegation will next play Kedah Eagles who is also struggling to replicate their early-season form which saw them occupy third place before dropping down to sixth.

Kelantan Warriors who endured a rough path during the month of November after back-to-back losses would have thought that they could have salvaged their season after yesterday’s victory over Eagles only to find themselves back down the drain again after falling to Kuala Lumpur Thunder 2-0 in the second match of the day at the Serdang Jaya Municipal Council Stadium.

The in-form Thunder’s put on a superb performance as they dented Warriors hopes of a final play-off spot acquiring only 35 minutes to claim a 21-10, 21-10 win in the first and second set respectively.

Warriors’ trio Aizat Nor Azmi (tekong), Amirul Zazwan Amir (feeder) and Zamree Dahan (striker) performances proved important as they signal a warning to second place, Penang Black Panthers whom they face tomorrow as both teams play catch up with Turtles at top spot.

Tekong kidal pengacau rentak

SERVIS tekong kidal mempunyai kelebihan dan keunikan yang mampu memecahkan rentak permainan lawan sehingga memimpin regunya mendapatkan kemenangan lebih mudah dan lebih cepat.

Sekalipun terpaksa menambah beban tugas apit kiri atau pengumpan yang sepatutnya merencana corak dan strategi permainan kerana perlu melontar bola, sumbangan tekong kidal sering kali membawa hasil yang berbaloi dan menguntungkan.

Kehandalan 'tekong jawi' (gelaran oleh sesetengah penggiat sepak takraw) turut akan membantu 'menjimatkan' kudrat dan keringat perejam di posisi apit kanan yang tidak perlu lagi terbang di depan jaring untuk melibas atau mengadang serangan lawan.

"Tekong kidal memvariasikan servis pencari mata. Yang penting kemahirannya menghuru-harakan orang sebelah (lawan) dan pengumpan yang menjadi sasaran utama kerana dia ibarat pemain tengah bola sepak.

"Jika pincang nadi gelanggang itu, maka mudahlah tugas regu pemegang servis yang pasti mahukan bola mereka sukar disambut, 'terpancut' jauh, ditangkis atau dimatikan lawan," kata bekas tekong kidal negara, Ahmad Ezzat Mohd. Zaki.

Mengenai siapa tekong kidal yang kini mencipta nama dan kian berbisa dalam Liga Sepak Takraw (STL) 2016 sekarang khususnya dalam Divisyen Perdana, katanya yang digelar 'Ijat Botak', "Irsyad Faiz Aziz. Dengan saiz dan setinggi 1.96 meter, tekong Terengganu Turtles ini juga mempunyai badan fleksibel.

"Turtles juga ada seorang lagi tekong kidal, Izurin Refin yang sudah pun mencipta nama sebagai tekong kebangsaan," kata bekas pemenang pingat perak Sukan SEA Kuala Lumpur 2001 dan Sukan Asia Busan 2002 kelahiran Pulau Pinang ini.

Lain-lain tekong kidal dalam STL yang kini memasuki minggu ketujuh saingannya di Stadium MPSJ, Serdang Jaya, Selangor ialah Haidzir Rashid (Johor Tigris), Farid Aziz (Kuala Lumpur Thunder) dan Mohd. Hisyam Mat (Kelantan Warriors) serta Nasiruddin Manjur Ahmad di Divisyen Satu dengan Putrajaya.

"Jika kerap berlatih bersama, saya rasa tiada masalah bagi seseorang apit kiri mendapatkan lontaran yang menepati cita rasa tekong kidal regunya sekali gus mempengaruhi keampuhan servisnya," kata Ezzat, 41, pemenang Piala Emas Khir Johari beberapa kali bersama Kuala Lumpur. 

Dia merujuk kepada pengumpan pasukan-pasukan STL 2016 seperti Saifulrudin Khalid atau Lutfil Hadi Azmi (Tigris), Amirul Zazwan Amir (Thunder) dan Aidil Aiman Azwawi (Warriors) serta apit kiri juara Sukan SEA 2005, Zulkarnain Arif atau Faizul Hairy Osman (Putrajaya).

Menoleh musuh tradisi kata Ezzat yang dikatakan pernah diundang beraksi di Thailand malah diminati bekas tekong Gajah Putih, Kriangkrai Kaewmian, "mereka kini mempunyai Siriwat Sakha, seorang tekong kidal yang biasanya bermain regu utama atau penentu kemenangan.

"Tekong kidal Thailand biasanya pemain yang serba lengkap. Pertahanan, tangkisan, sambutan dan servis deras serta bervariasi sentiasa menjadi senjata mereka," kata Ezzat yang meminati jagoan Kedah dan Malaysia era 80-an, Azman Ismail dan Kampon Tasit dari sana.

Panthers cuba perkukuh dulu posisi kedua

PENANG Panthers lebih gemar memikirkan untuk mengekalkan posisi kedua dalam carta mata Divisyen Perdana Liga Sepak Takraw (STL) 2016 sekali gus mencerahkan peluang ke separuh akhir daripada mengintai status peneraju yang kini dicengkam Terengganu Turtles.

Bukan bermakna mereka sudah mengibar bendera putih dengan ketinggalan empat mata berbanding Turtles yang belum kalah dengan 18 mata tetapi kata pengurusnya, Jeffary Abd. Malek, “biarlah kami hadapi satu persatu lawan dan fokus kami sekarang ialah Kuala Lumpur Thunder, Ahad ini.

“Perkukuhkan tempat kedua ini terlebih dahulu dan bila jumpa Turtles balik (2 Disember), kami akan cuba (merampas teraju liga),” katanya selepas regu Mohamad Fazil Asri, Kamal Ishak dan Zaim Razali memastikan kemenangan ketujuh setelah menewaskan Kedah Eagles 21-16, 21-16, kelmarin.

Turtles turut menjinakkan Panthers 21-16, 14-21, 21-19 dalam pertembungan buku dan ruas pusingan pertama STL pada 11 November lalu yang dramatik malah mencatat rekod kehadiran paling ramai penonton di Stadium MPSJ, Serdang Jaya, Selangor.

“Thunder pun pasti mahu menang dengan kami dan ATM Guardians kini mulai semakin mendapat rentak (kedua-duanya terikat 10 mata di tempat ketiga dan keempat) jadi kami pun tidak boleh leka sekarang,” katanya.

Mengenai gandingan pilihan kedua yang menang hanya dalam 49 minit katanya, “kami akan terus menggilirkan pemain supaya mereka mendapat suasana perlawanan sebenar yang pastinya berbeza dengan sesi latihan.

“Sama ada Fazil dan Kamal atau Syahir Rosdi dan Azlan atau lain-lain termasuk pengumpan, Zaim atau Suhairi Sulaiman yang boleh bergandingan dengan sesiapa sahaja perejam, kami perlu dapatkan keseimbangan regu.

“Syahir dan Azlan Alias tetap bersedia sebagai gantian (menentang Eagles) namun jika prestasi pemain lain bagus, kami akan kekal begitu,” katanya, merujuk regu bimbingan Mohd. Helmi Ismail ini yang turut kalah kepada Guardians 13-21, 21-15, 21-18 dalam pusingan pertama, 15 Oktober lalu.

ATM juarai Perang Razak

Penang Panthers terus menghambat pendahulu carta mata Liga Sepak Takraw (STL) 2016, Terengganu Turtles dengan kemenangan ketujuh, menewaskan Kedah Eagles 21-16, 21-16 namun satu pertembungan unik abang dengan adik terdahulu mencuri tumpuan saingan minggu keenam, hari ini.

Si adik, Norfaizzul Abd. Razak, 20, yang juga apit kiri ATM Guardians, mengatasi abangnya, perejam Norhaffizi Abd. Razak, 23, dan Johor Tigris 21-17, 17-21, 21-19 dalam ‘Perang Saudara Divisyen Perdana STL selama 71 minit di Stadium MPSJ, Serdang Jaya, Selangor itu.

Namun kejayaan Guardians yang turut menampilkan tekong Nazmi Najib dan apit kanan, Afifuddin Razali hanya mengekalkan mereka di tangga keempat carta di belakang Kuala Lumpur Thunder walaupun terikat 10 mata kerana dibezakan dengan jurang set (empat berbalas kosong).

Empat pasukan teratas liga dalam pusingan kedua divisyen ini bakal mencerahkan peluang masing-masing ke separuh akhir manakala dua yang berkedudukan corot apabila saingan berakhir 18 Disember ini, berdepan penyingkiran ke Divisyen Satu 2017.

Johor Tigris (juga dengan Haidzir Rashid dan Lutfil Hadi Azmi) pula terus kempunan mata liga sambil kekal di tangga keenam carta mata yang turut meletakkan mereka kembali menghampiri zon penyingkiran yang kini dihuni Kelantan Warriors dan Melaka Titans.

Sebaliknya hanya 49 minit yang diperlukan Panthers untuk menghimpun 14 mata, empat mata di belakang Turtles sekalipun menurunkan regu pilihan kedua mereka, tekong Mohamad Fazil Asri sambil diapit Kamal Ishak dan Zaim Razali.

Kedah Eagles (Asrah Adenan, Shahrol Nizam Romli/Ali Alhamidi Ayob dan Zuleffendi Sumari) pula semakin suram dengan kekalahan keenam ini dan yang kedua berturut-turut pada minggu ini setelah dibenam Thunder semalam.

Perak The Bos Gaurus kekal sebagai teraju Divisyen Satu STL 2016 bagi saingan minggu kedua sekalipun Persatuan Sepak Takraw Malaysia (PSM) A berjaya menewaskan Putrajaya 21-14, 14-21, 21-12, semalam.Kedua-duanya kini terikat lapan mata dengan empat kemenangan tetapi jurang tipis set menang dan set kalah, tujuh berbanding enam menafikan hajat regu kebangsaan itu untuk mengambil alih teraju selepas menyandangnya bagi minggu pertama lalu.

Namun PSM A (tekong Idham Sulaiman/Said Ezwan Said De, perejam Ridaudin Ghani dan pengumpan Safarudin Abu Bakar diheret sehingga 94 minit sebelum mampu menggenggam dua mata liga oleh Dzulfajri Norsal/Nasiruddin Manjur Ahmad, Putra Aidil Israfil Kamaruzaman/Muslim Mohammad dan Zulkarnain Arif.

Jurulatih PSM A, Rashidi Nordin berkata, “set kedua berpihak kepada lawan yang memasukkan Nasiruddin dengan servis kidalnya yang mempunyai variasi membawa banyak mata. Kami juga menukar tekong dan hanya dalam set ketiga, mampu mengimbangi lawan.

“Rejaman apit kanan kami, Ridaudin pula kerap mampu ditangkis tekong dan apit kiri lawan, Zulkarnain yang berpengalaman,” katanya yang lega kerana tetap meraih dua mata dalam pertarungan sengit itu biarpun terpaksa akur kepada Bos Gaurus yang terus menerajui carta.

Stadium MPSJ, Serdang Jaya, Selangor turut menyaksikan lonjakan satu lagi pasukan pilihan, Selangor (Shafiq Sharif, Shafirul Nizam Zainal dan Muqlis Borhan) ke tangga ketiga carta dengan mengumpul enam mata setelah menewaskan Sarawak 21-15, 21-11dalam tempoh 38 minit.

Selangor turut terikat enam mata dengan PSM B dan Negeri Sembilan The Jangs tetapi mempunyai jurang mata menang dan mata kalah yang lebih besar, 30 berbanding kedua-dua pencabar (17 dan 14) di tempat keempat dan kelima itu.

Regu ‘adik’ PSM B (Iskandar Zulkarnain Salim, Nazirul Akmal Rahman dan Hidayat Rashid Daud yang semalam dibenam Putrajaya, bangkit merangkul kemenangan ketiga mereka apabila menumpaskan Sabah (Radzi Awang, Jaxon Amputong dan Daut Amba) 21-17, 21-12.

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Perlis turut menyertai paras pertengahan carta dengan kemenangan keduanya setelah menewaskan Labuan yang diwakili pemain pelapis kebangsaan 21-19, 21-15 sekali gus mengumpul empat mata, terikat dengan Putrajaya dan Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM).

KEPUTUSAN:

Ahad (20 November 2016):

Liga Ekspres Perdana Sepak Takraw (STL):

ATM Guardians kalahkan Johor Tigris 2-1 (21-17, 17-21, 21-19)

Penang Black Panthers kalahkan Kedah Eagles 2-0 (21-16, 21-16)

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