Another milestone: Terengganu’s Faizal Saari (left) is on course to finish as the league’s top scorer.
KUALA LUMPUR: Terengganu are not only on track for a treble in the Malaysian Hockey League this season but also within reach of a remarkable unbeaten finish.
The east coast side have been in dominant form, winning all eight of their league matches to claim the league title in style.
Harfizi Baharom’s men showed no signs of slowing down in the TNB Cup, cruising past Armed Forces in the quarter-finals before edging Matador Hockey Club 1-0 in the semi-finals yesterday.
Match-winner Faizal Saari, who netted the decisive goal in the 40th minute, hopes his team can finish the job in the final and etch their name in the record books with a flawless season. They will play the winners of the match between Tenaga Nasional and defending champions Maybank.
A victory in the TNB Cup final tomorrow would see Terengganu replicate their historic 2023 feat, when they secured the treble while maintaining an unbeaten record throughout the season.
To top it off for Terengganu, Faizal is also on course to finish as the league’s top scorer, comfortably leading the scoring charts with 23 goals.
“We’ve already secured two trophies, and now that we’re in the final, we want to finish the job as champions.
“With yesterday’s match, we’ve gone 11 games unbeaten.
“We don’t know what will happen in the final, but if we win, it will be the perfect ending.
“As for the top scorer award, if I get it, it’s a bonus. Our main goal is to complete the treble,” said Faizal, who has been with the team for 13 years.
In addition to reclaiming the league title this season, Terengganu kicked off their campaign in style by clinching the Charity Cup with a victory over Tenaga Nasional.
Reflecting on the TNB Cup semi-final clash against Matador, Faizal admitted it was a tough encounter, made even more challenging by the sweltering afternoon heat.
Terengganu struggled to break through Matador’s well-organised defence, with goalkeeper Adrian Andy Robert putting on a solid display. It was a stark contrast to their previous meeting on Feb 8, when Terengganu cruised to a commanding 4-0 victory.
“We knew that in the semi-finals, both teams would be fighting hard for a win,” said Adrian.
“Looking at today’s match (yesterday), we played at 4pm under intense heat. Just one sprint was enough to leave you feeling exhausted, but thankfully, Terengganu made it to the TNB Cup final.”
