VI wins the right to represent Malaysia at MUFC regional finals

Thursday June 4, 2009
VI wins the right to represent Malaysia at MUFC regional finals
By Y.P. SIVAM

VICTORIA INSTITUTION (VI) earned the right to represent Malaysia in the Regional Finals when they emerged as the champions in the Malaysian Final of the Manchester United Football Club (MUFC) competition at the National Sports Council (MSN) Training Centre in Bukit Jalil recently.
VI put up a gallant display, with Muhamad Hadin Azman playing an inspiring role in attack, and defeated a depleted Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) 3-1 in a keenly contested final.
BJSS were without their regular goalkeeper – Mohamad Firdaus Muhammad – and defender Mohd Izdihan Qaedi Jidi took over the position.
BJSS took the lead in the seventh minute through Muhamad Nazmir Faiz but VI fought back with grit and equalised through Muhamad Hadin in the 19th minute.
It’s ours: The VI players and officials celebrate with the MUFC Cup Challenge Trophy.
In the second half, it was VI all the way and they scored through Hazir Fikri Hussein and Mohamad Aidil Zainal Abidin.
Muhamad Hadin was named as the man of the match.
As the champions, VI, coached by Zulkarnain Yaakob, will be taking part in the Regional Finals in Bali, Indonesia. Zulkarnain was excited with the win and disclosed that it was the fourth title the team had won in May.
The first was the Under-18 title in the Kuala Lumpur Schools Sports School (MSSKL) championships, then they were champions in the Sultan Azlan Shah and also the Inter-Residential Schools football competition.
Zulkarnain said they were looking forward to an impressive outing in the Regional Finals.
“The players are in good form. They are eager to become the champions in the Regional Finals. They have been training for the past two months. May has been indeed a good month for the VI football team,’’ said Zulkarnain.
BJSS coach Richard Scully, a former international goalkeeper, who had featured for Kelantan and Penang in the M-league, said it was unfortunate that they had to have a defender as the goalkeeper.

“I would say that the boys did quite well and he was brave to take the responsibility. Under the circumstances, we cannot complain,’’ said Richard.
The two-day tournament was a culmination of a zone level competition. Besides VI and BJSS, six other schools- SMK Tabuan Jaya (Sarawak), SMK Mergong (Penang); MSS Kedah; SMK Putra(Kuantan); SMK Mutiara Impian A (Johor Baru) and Bandar Penawar Sports School (Johor Baru) - were involved in the competition.