27 Aug 2006

100PLUS SUPER CUP Under-18 Championship - National Finals

SUNGAI PETANI, Kedah (August 27, 2006) – SMK Keningau Dua from Sabah emerged champions of the 100PLUS Super Cup Under-18 Championship when they edged SMK Raja Abdullah from Kuala Lumpur 1-0 in the final played at the Maktab Perguruan Sultan Abdul Halim here today.

It was a bitter sweet outcome for the Borneo side as their talented striker Azran Azkaran, who blasted the winning goal in the 53rd minute, turned villain when he was red-carded two minutes from the end.

"It was a little disappointing to finish the game like that but the more important factor is that we have won the title," said the 16-year-old Azran, who had also scored the winner in the 1-0 win over Kedah's SMK Kulim in the quarter-finals.

"Against Kuala Lumpur, we know that we had to be more disciplined as they seem to be more confident but we played to instruction and that made the difference."

SMK Raja Abdullah started the match on a more furious note with Mohd Ammar Roomai – the top scorer of the competition – and Mohd Hassan Ahmad causing a lot of problems to the Sabah defence.

But with the backline ably marshalled by Finnikeffley Larim, there was no danger of the side from Sabah conceding the early goal.

With Kuala Lumpur's failure to make good on their chances, SMK Keningau Dua was quick on the draw in the 53rd minute when off a Benn Ardy Agus' cross, Azran outjumped his marker to score.

SMK Raja Abdullah then piled on the pressure in search of the equaliser but even after Azran was asked to leave the field after picking up his second yellow card for diving, there was no danger of Sabah not making the score stick.

"The performance was good but the only problem was that we missed several good chances and that is something you cannot do in the final," said SMK Raja Abdullah head coach Mat Jusoh Saat.

In the meantime, Maktab Sultan Ismail from Kelantan beat SMK Tengku Ampuan Durah from Negeri Sembilan 5-4 on penalties to take third spot after both teams were tied 2-2 at the end of extra-time.

Raymond Cai Panting, the director for sports management unit of the Majlis Sukan Sekolah-Sekolah Malaysia was on hand to deliver the medals to the winners.

The 100PLUS Super Cup is organised with the close cooperation of the Majlis Sukan Sekolah-Sekolah Malaysia and is supported by the FA of Malaysia.

RESULTS

FINAL: Sabah (SMK Keningau Dua) vs Kuala Lumpur (SMK Raja Abdullah) 1-0

THIRD and FOURTH PLACING: Kelantan (Maktab Sultan Ismail) bt Negeri Sembilan (SMK Tengku Ampuan Durah) 5-4 on penalties (ET 2-2)