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JDT almost in FA Cup semi-finals BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sports - New 2 Borneo

JDT almost in FA Cup semi-finals

Posted: 11 Feb 2014 10:10 AM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: Last year's FA Cup runners-up Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) have a clear path to the semi-finals after chalking up a 3-1 win over Kedah in the first-leg of their quarters-final match at the Tan Sri Hassan Yunos Stadium in Larkin, Johor Baharu tonight.

The three goals of the Southern Tigers were netted by Mohd Amri Yahyah in the 14th minute; Hariss Harun (21st) and substitute player Luciano Figueroa in the second half.

Kedah pulled one back in the 23rd minute via Billy Osman Mehmet.

The match was, however, marred by the flashing of three red cards by referee Syed Azhar Syed Kamar to both teams.

JDT players Mohd Fazly Mazlan was the first player to be red-carded after a rough tackle on Kedah striker, Khyril Muhymeen Zambri in the 71st minute.

The visitors also had their fair share of rough play when their players Baddrol Bakhtiar and Muhammad Syazwan Tajuddin were ordered out of the pitch after receiving their second yellow cards in the 75th and 83rd minutes respectively.

Defending champions, Kelantan scraped through with a 3-2 win against Selangor PKNS FC at the Sultan Muhammad IV stadium, Kota Baharu.

Red Warriors captain, Mohd Badhri Radzi opened the scoring in the second minute through a free kick before Liberian import Patrick Ronaldinho Wleh equalised for PKNS FC in the 20th minute.

Tengku Hasbullah Raja Hassan put Kelantan one goal up in the 42nd minute before Ahmad Shakir Ali added the third goal in the 75th minute but South Korean import, Kim Dongchen slotted PKNS's second goal seven minutes later.

Premier League leaders, Police could only muster a 1-1 draw with Pahang at Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium, Paroi, Seremban.

Charles Chad Souza opened scoring the "Cops" in the 13th minute before Argentinian import, Matias Ruben Conti equalised for Pahang in the 77th minute.

At the Selayang Municipal Council Stadium, Felda United FC and Sarawak were tied to a goalless draw.

The second leg of the quarter-finals will be held on Feb 18. — BERNAMA

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Jenny Soh eyeing Asian Games 2014

Posted: 11 Feb 2014 09:47 AM PST

by Philip Wong, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on February 12, 2014, Wednesday

SIBU: SEA Games taekwondo bronze medalist Jenny Soh Fong Mee has set her sight on the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea in September 2014.

The 21-year old undergraduate of Kolej Bandar Utama (KBU) in Kuala Lumpur is currently taking a six-month break from intensive training to catch up on her studies.

She expects to start serious training after the completion of her third semester year in June.

"There are lots of revisions to do and achieving good academic results remain my top priority," said Jenny, who returned home to celebrate Chinese New Year with her family here.

"The onus is now on myself to do well both in my college year and also doubled as a good taekwondo exponent. This is not an easy combination but hopefully, I could balance it out with a positive mindset."

Jenny, who competes in the welter weight category, enjoyed a fruitful season last year at both the home front and international arena.

She emerged a double gold medalist at the 2013 National Taekwondo Championship and the 2013 Inter-Club Taekwondo Championship held in Kuala Lumpur.

She also garnered a bronze medal at the Asian University Games in Korea before her medal-winning performance at the SEA Games in Myanmar.

Despite these achievements, Jenny said she is hungry for more.

"I hope to excel at the top, perhaps to represent Malaysia at the Olympics one day, but that will require a tremendous amount of hard work and sacrifice," she added.

The competitive exponent knows what sacrifice is all about.

She put in about seven hours of hard daily training at the Bukit Jalil Sports School when she was preparing for the Myanmar SEA Games.

The seven hours included light hill running to improve stamina and constant sparring with instructors to improve fighting skills.

Jenny, unfortunately, did sustain a hamstring tear on her left leg during training.

"I hate myself for not being able to come back with a better result and I believe I could have done better if I am injury-free before going into the match against my exponent who is from Vietnam," she related her Myanmar experience.

Malaysia collected one silver and five bronze medals for taekwondo at the SEA Games in December 2013.

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30 Sarawak squash players vie for national junior tourney

Posted: 11 Feb 2014 09:46 AM PST

SIBU: Sarawak will send about 30 players to the National Junior Squash Championship in Kuala Lumpur from Feb 13 – 16.

They include state boy's Under-15 champion Timothy Ling, U-17 champion Ma Teck Leck, girl's U-15 champion Ma Si Yii and boy's U-11 Tommy Lau, Caleb Lau and Prasad Ruhern.

Squash Racquets Association of Sarawak (SRAS) president Robert Lau said the championship would be a platform for the players to get their own national rankings.

"This is an important tournament and players who are already ranked can also use the opportunity to improve their own rankings," he added.

Lau noted there are other tournaments in the pipeline including the CIMB Rising Star which will start early next month.

Lau, who took over the presidency of SRAS six years ago, said they have been working hard to produce players of national quality.

"Reflecting on our past, we are proud that we have good and quality players now who are able to put Sarawak on the squash map. Sarawak is now fast on the road to become a squash powerhouse," he said.

Of the five age group – Boy's and Girl's U-9, U-11, U-13, U-15 and U-17, Lau said Sarawak tended to do well in the U-9 and U-11 categories.

"We do produce national champion in these two categories in the past. However, as they were promoted to the senior categories, they tend to fade away. Our focus now is to produce champions in the U-17 and U-19 categories," he revealed.

"We are now looking into our training programme, both the physical and psychological phase of training, the level of coaching and the need to improve the mental strength of the players."

Lau also hoped they could find players whose parents do not put too much pressure on their academic results.

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Khairy wants FAM to speed up investigations over Larkin incident

Posted: 11 Feb 2014 09:45 AM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin wants the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) to speed up investigations into the alleged incident at the Larkin Stadium during an FA Cup match between T-Team and Johor Darul Takzim (JDT).

Khairy said the move by a T-Team player and assistant coach to swear upon the Al-Quran in front of Terengganu Menteri
Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said means the issue is very serious.

"Something has happened, I do not know what happened or who was involved but when a player and assistant coach decide to swear upon the Al-Quran, it cannot be taken lightly. It is a serious matter.

"I will contact Datuk Hamidin Mohd Amin (FAM secretary-general) to inform him that this is a very serious issue and cannot be taken lightly or overlooked. If indeed something happened at the Larkin Stadium, the FAM must charge those involved.

"The culprit must be punished and there should be no bias, fear or favour.

"I am only the Youth and Sports Minister and cannot mete out any punishment.

"If the FAM fails to take any action, its credibility will be at stake," he said after opening a seminar titled 'Sports Science Governed Sports Leadership Empowerment Series' at National Sports Institute's (ISN) Dewan Perdana, here, yesterday.

Khairy also urged the FAM to tighten security aspects at stadiums, especially during match days to avoid crowd trouble.

"Football is a family sport because many parents bring along their children to watch football matches. So, it will be dangerous if fans react aggressively. We must enhance our cooperation with the police to improve security," he said.

Last Friday, fans from Pahang and JDT were reported to have clashed outside the Darul Makmur Stadium in Kuantan after a Super League match which Pahang and JDT, resulting in a number of fans injured.

The match was won by Pahang (3-2).

On Feb 1, a commotion had allegedly taken place in the tunnel of the Larkin Stadium when the players were heading to the dressing room at half-time in the second leg FA Cup match between JDT and T-team.

T-Team's Brazilian import Evaldo Rodrigues and fitness coach Stefano Impagiazzo claimed they were assaulted by a high ranking JDT official when heading to the dressing room.

The match was later abandoned when T-Team refused to resume the match.

The incident also resulted in the Football of Malaysia (FAM) awarding a 3-0 win to JDT because T-Team refused to continue the match, claiming that their safety was stake.

Both teams have since lodged police reports.

Meanwhile, speaking of the seminar which was jointly organised by ISN and Universiti Putra Malaysia, Khairy said all sports associations must emphasise the use by sports science when preparing their athletes.

"The failure by associations to in cooperate sports science in their administration may indirectly affect the performance of their athletes.

"Sports administration is not a platform for associations to expand their political influence or image but rather to improve the performance of their athletes," he said. — Bernama

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Gold, Wagner jostle for US cover girl title

Posted: 11 Feb 2014 09:43 AM PST

SOCHI, Russia: Teenager Gracie Gold and teammate Ashley Wagner are battling not only for the Olympic title but also for the honour of cover girl of the US Sochi figure skating team.

The 18-year-old Gold burst into the limelight when she claimed her first national title last month at home in Boston to become the new blonde darling of the US media.

Wagner, 22, who had been touted as not only the face of US figure skating, but their Olympic team in the absence of Lindsey Vonn, fell twice in the nationals to finish fourth.

She got the Olympic nod because of her results over the past two seasons, a decision that sparked some anger amid claims it was because of her sponsors and Olympic commercials in which she was already featuring.

In Sochi, both stood side-by-side on the podium Sunday night as the United States took bronze behind Russia and Canada in the new team event.

Wagner skated the short, in which she placed fourth, while Gold performed in the free programme where she finished second behind inspired Russian Julia Lipnitskaia.

"Not everyone had the best performance. Ashley and I knew we had to bring our A game," said Gold of the team competition.

Since her national title she has been bombarded with offers from television and was seen on the Jay Leno 'The Tonight Show' bizarrely juggling lemons.

The cover of Sports Illustrated's Olympic Preview edition has Gold flying through the air under a headline: "Gracie Gold as good as ….?"

"It has been the best year of my life, hands down," admitted Gold who finished second in the 2012 world junior championships behind Lipnitskaia, 15.

"It's been weird, actually," Gold said. "Every time I open my Twitter account, there is some sort of new, cool thing."

Her Twitter account has grown to nearly 49,000 followers.

Last year, she switched coaches and is guided now by veteran Frank Carroll, who helped Evan Lysacek win Olympic gold in Vancouver.

"It was incredible to skate over the Olympic rings," Gold said, adding that her game plan for Sochi 2014 was simple: "It's about leaving it all out on the table and going for the gold."

For Wagner, winner of back-to-back US titles in 2012 and 2013, the changes came thick and fast in 2013, when she had to find a new coach and a new rink, broke up with her boyfriend and her parents finalized their divorce.

And she is determined to justify her selection.

"It was tough going out there after a disappointing nationals so it was important for me to redeem myself," she said.

The friendly rivalry between the two American skaters will be welcomed by US Olympic chiefs as the Sochi Games marks the 20th anniversary of the infamous Nancy Kerrigan-Tonya Harding affair which overshadowed the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics. — AFP

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Violence stains Brazil’s love affair with football

Posted: 11 Feb 2014 09:42 AM PST

SAO PAULO: Brazilians famously love football. But sometimes fanaticism goes overboard and violence results, as recent outbreaks of hooliganism and a fan attack on players attest.

Last December saw one of the worst incidents of hooliganism in years when fans of Atletico Paraense clashed with visitors Vasco da Gama.

Television footage showing fans attacking each other flashed round the world, focusing on one bloodied man being mercilessly kicked in the body and head.

The December violence was all the more shocking, occurring just six months before Brazil stages the World Cup.

President Dilma Rousseff reacted sternly by insisting Brazil would not tolerate such behaviour.

But last weekend, Brazilian fans were in the news for all the wrong reasons once again after dozens of Corinthians supporters invaded the club's training complex and attacked players.

They threatened to break the legs of at least two players and grabbed Peruvian striker Paolo Guerrero around the neck.

Former AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato, one of those targeted for poor recent form, promptly left the club on Wednesday to join Sao Paulo with Jadson going the other way.

Brazilian 'ultras' – hardcore fans – may not have the reputation of English hooligans of yesteryear or Argentina's feared "barrasbravas."

Yet football violence directly cost a reported 30 lives last year in the giant country and for hardline supporters such incidents come with the territory.

"Fighting is a consequence – of having to defend our colours," says one Corinthians fan, Alan Mateos, 25.

Mateos is a veteran member of the club's "Gavioes da Fiel" (hawks of the faithful) supporters' group which numbers more than 100,000, one of Brazil's biggest fan organisations.

Alan is easily recognisable with his bare chest and a body covered with tattooed slogans and club badges.

On the terraces they make their intimidating, high-adrenaline presence felt amid a torrent of drum beating and chanting – insults of rivals to the fore.

"Defending Corinthians is our passion. We are always there, at every match," says Gavioes' 'chairman' Wagner da Costa.

Asked if he expects to see fan violence during the World Cup he told AFP flatly: "We are 'Corinthians' before Brazilians."

In seeking to rationalize hooliganism, Wagner da Costa notes there is "a problem in society.

Yet he adds football is just one facet of violence in the country as a whole.

"When we go to a disco in the suburbs there are more fights than there are in the stadium," Da Costa asserts.

Eduardo Carlezzo, who sits on a national commission of lawyers on sporting law believes fans will put aside tribal club loyalties at the World Cup and get behind Brazil.

At the same time, Carlezzo identifies an evident correlation between football and people with a predisposition to violence.

"The groups of supporters comprise many people with a criminal record who come along to cause problems," indicates Carlezzo.

He insists that a supporters statute passed in 2003 providing for hooligans to be fined and slapped with jail terms of up to three years is not enough.

"There needs to be better control, (more) information from intelligence services and a tougher law," he insists.

But others say legislation will not provide an answer to the fundamental problem.

"Repression alone will not resolve the issue," says Bernardo Buarque de Hollanda, professor at the Getulio Vargas research foundation and an author of works on football fanaticism.

"At first sight, you think this is just about young men from the suburbs struggling to hold down a job with low educational attainment and low social aspirations," Buarque de Hollanda told AFP.

But he insists making such generalisations is a risky business.

"I know several leaders of (radical fan) groups with university degrees who live in Rio's South Zone," the posh end of the city. — AFP

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