Gol tempat lawan penting - Rajagobal

Oleh FERZALFIE FAUZI
ferzalfie.fauzi@utusan.com.my

Norshahrul Idlan Talaha melarikan bola dari pemain pertahanan Vietnam. Malaysia berjaya menewaskan pasukan Vietnam 2-0 pada separuh akhir pertama Piala AFF Suzuki 2010 di Stadium Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, Rabu lalu. - UTUSAN/Shahril Azman Zain

SEPANG - Tidak ada apa yang bermain di fikiran jurulatih skuad kebangsaan, K. Rajagobal menjelang pertemuan separuh akhir kedua Piala Suzuki AFF menentang Vietnam hari ini, kecuali mencari gol di tempat lawan.

Rajagobal sedar gol di tempat lawan bakal mencerahkan lagi peluang anak-anak buahnya untuk menempah tiket ke perlawanan akhir selepas mencatat kemenangan 2-0 pada perlawanan separuh akhir pertama di Stadium Nasional Bukit Jalil, Rabu lalu.

Menurutnya, bagi mencapai sasaran memperoleh gol ketika berdepan Vietnam di Stadium Nasional My Dinh, percaturan strategi yang tepat adalah amat penting agar Malaysia tidak terkulai di hadapan ribuan penyokong tuan rumah.

"Saya perlu melakukan strategi yang betul, saya akan memilih dengan tepat sama ada mahu mengekalkan corak yang sama ketika perlawanan separuh akhir pertama ataupun bertahan. Semua ini akan dibincang dengan sebaiknya bersama penolong saya, pengurus pasukan dan pemain," katanya ketika ditemui Utusan Malaysia di Terminal Penerbangan Tambang Murah (LCCT) awal pagi, kelmarin.

Jelasnya, hasil daripada perbincangan tersebut akan menentukan siapa yang bakal diturunkan dalam kesebelasan utama dan corak permainan apa yang hendak diguna pakai, semuanya adalah untuk menghalang Vietnam daripada bangkit di laman sendiri.

"Bagaimanapun, saya sudah berpesan kepada pemain tugas berat menanti mereka menjelang perlawanan di Hanoi Sabtu ini (hari ini), Vietnam sudah pasti akan melakukan serangan bertubi-tubi. Saya berharap pemain dapat memikul tanggungjawab sebaik mungkin.

"Saya lihat keyakinan pemain semakin tinggi, bagaimanapun mereka harus sedar kelebihan dua gol bukannya bererti kita sudah berada pada zon selesa, sekurang-kurangnya kita perlu cari lagi dua gol dan pada masa sama bertahan sebaik mungkin," katanya.

Pada pertemuan separuh akhir pertama, Rabu lalu Malaysia berjaya mencatat kemenangan 2-0, hasil dua gol daripada pemain penyerang, Safee Sali pada minit ke-65 dan 83.

"Saya juga tidak mahu pemain memikirkan tentang peristiwa lalu baik dibelasah Indonesia 1-5, mahupun ketika separuh akhir Piala Tiger 2004, apabila Malaysia mencatat kemenangan 2-1 di Stadium Bung Karno, Jakarta sebelum tewas 1-4 juga kepada Indonesia di Stadium Nasional Bukit Jalil.

"Saya mahu mereka fikirkan tentang masa sekarang, perkara yang lalu biarkan berlalu. Ia tidak sama seperti sekarang, baik dari jurulatih mahupun pemain. Saya mahu mereka fokus dan jangan lepaskan peluang terbaik ini," katanya.

Khairul Fahmi mahu lebih fokus

SEPANG - Tidak perlu bimbang terhadap ribuan penyokong yang membanjiri Stadium Nasional My Dinh, apa yang penting adalah memberi tumpuan sepenuhnya kepada permainan, itu janji yang diberikan oleh penjaga gol kebangsaan, Khairul Fahmi Che Mat menjelang perlawanan separuh akhir kedua Piala Suzuki AFF di Hanoi, hari ini.

Penjaga gol Kelantan itu berkata, perlawanan itu bakal memperlihatkan situasi berbeza di mana pasukan tuan rumah sudah pasti akan melakukan serangan bertubi-tubi, oleh itu dia lebih cenderung untuk memikirkan tentang aksi di padang berbanding di tempat duduk penonton.

"Di Kuala Lumpur kita boleh mengusai hampir keseluruhan permainan terutama separuh masa kedua, bagaimanapun situasi ini mungkin tidak lagi sama apabila beraksi di tempat mereka," katanya ketika ditemui Utusan Malaysia di Terminal Penerbangan Tambang Murah (LCCT), awal pagi kelmarin.

Jelasnya, semua pemain termasuk dirinya sendiri perlu mempamerkan permainan yang lebih baik berbanding aksi Rabu lalu, apa sahaja kelemahan harus diperbaiki sebaik mungkin agar mencerahkan peluang ke perlawanan akhir.

"Kami perlu berusaha dengan lebih keras lagi, segala kesilapan yang dilakukan sebelum ini perlu ditutup. Bagaimanapun, saya berpuas hati dengan rangkaian pertahanan dan mereka harus mengekalkan aksi konsisten itu di Hanoi.

"Saya akui memang tekanan sentiasa ada, terutama ketika di peringkat separuh akhir ini, namun semuanya akan memberi kesukaran kepada kita untuk beraksi dengan baik jika asyik memikirkan tekanan sahaja," kata pemain yang terkenal dengan gelaran 'Apek' ini.

Katanya, menjelang perlawanan separuh akhir nanti segala percaturan terletak kepada jurulatih tetapi sebagai pemain semuanya harus bersedia. Harapan yang diberikan oleh rakyat Malaysia memang sangat tinggi dan peluang untuk melakukan sesuatu yang lebih bersejarah perlu dimanfaatkan sebaik mungkin.

"Saya masih ingat lagi pada perlawanan di Stadium Nasional Bukit Jalil, selepas sekadar terikat tanpa jaringan pada separuh masa pertama dan membiarkan lawan menguasai permainan, jurulatih memberi nasihat di bilik persalinan agar bangkit semula. Ia terus menaikkan semangat kami.

"Pada perlawanan kali ini juga, saya berharap kami mampu melakukan sesuatu dan penyerang akan menjaringkan gol seterusnya mara ke perlawanan akhir," kata penjaga gol pasukan Liga Super Kelantan itu.

Khairul Fahmi merupakan pemain muda terbaik dan penjaga gol terbaik pada Anugerah Bola Sepak Kebangsaan 100Plus-FAM tahun ini.

Venezuela assembly gives Chavez decree powers

CARACAS, Dec 18 — Venezuela's parliament yesterday gave President Hugo Chavez the power to rule by decree for 18 months, outraging opponents who accuse him of turning South America's biggest oil producer into a dictatorship.

The move consolidated the firebrand socialist leader's hold on power after nearly 12 years in office, and raised the prospect of a fresh wave of nationalisations as the former paratrooper seeks to entrench his self-styled "revolution".

As he signed the legislation, Chavez mocked opposition politicians. "They will not be able to create even one law, little Yankees," he said. "We will win . . . let's see how they are going to make laws now."

Chavez had asked for the fast-track powers for one year, saying he needed them to deal with a national emergency caused by floods that drove nearly 140,000 people from their homes.

But the National Assembly, dominated by loyalists from his Socialist Party, decided to extend them for 18 months.

That means the president can rule by decree until mid-2012, and can keep opposition parties out of the legislative process until his re-election campaign is well under way for Venezuela's next presidential vote in December of that year.

The president of parliament, Cilia Flores, said lawmakers must heed the appeals of families afflicted by the floods.

"It is raised to 18 months at the proposal of those immediately affected, the same people who are there relying on Comandante Chavez," she told the Assembly earlier.

"So that they can have their streets, their highways, public services, electricity, everything to live in dignity, we are going to hear these proposals and concerns."

The vote was part of a legislative onslaught to push through bills before a new Assembly is seated on January 5. Earlier yesterday, parliament passed a law making it easier for the government to nationalise banks and trim their profits.

Chavez said the next Assembly would become a great ideological and moral battlefield, and denounced the incoming opposition lawmakers as US stooges.

"Those who will come on January 5 are not opponents," he said. "They are Little Yankees . . . defenders of the bourgeoisie, defenders of the empire and of its politics of aggression."

The "Enabling Law", which means Chavez can issue decrees across a wide range of areas including housing, land, finances and security, has been denounced as autocratic by his political rivals and by the US State Department.

An opposition coalition won about half the popular vote at a parliamentary election in September to take 40 per cent of the seats in the next Assembly — where they had hoped to put a check on the president's powers.

Chavez's latest move raised concern about whether he would accept defeat if the 2012 election does not go his way. Polls show his traditionally high ratings have slipped, and the nation was split in the September elections.

The president, who has used decree powers three times in the past, has said one of his first moves will be to increase the sales tax to raise funds for reconstruction after the floods. Previously, he used the fast-track powers to pass about 100 laws, including measures to nationalise part of the oil sector and increase the number of Supreme Court judges.

The banking law passed earlier yesterday creates stringent operating rules that include forcing banks to give 5 per cent of their profits every six months to community groups.

Chavez, who has inherited Fidel Castro's mantle as Latin America's leading US critic, still has a strong power base in city slums and impoverished rural areas.

Although his foes see him as an autocrat ushering in Cuban-style communism, supporters say he is redressing years of imbalance and has encouraged democracy by giving power and funds to grass-roots groups that decide on some public works. — Reuters

NEW YORK, Dec 18 — The sizzling hot Miami Heat and their Big Three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh yesterday scorched the New York Knicks 113-91 for their 11th win in a row at Madison Square Garden.

James, who spurned New York in signing as a free agent last summer with Miami, shrugged off hearty boos from a packed Garden crowd on his every touch of the ball to score 32 points, while Wade and Bosh both poured in 26.

Miami improved to 20-8 as James completed a triple-double by adding 11 rebounds and 10 assists, while New York dropped to 16-11.

The Knicks had an eight-game winning streak snapped last Wednesday in a two-point loss to Eastern Conference-leading Boston Celtics, who also travelled to New York with a 10-game winning streak.

While that game came down to the last tenth of a second and was taken by New York as a declaration they could compete with the top teams, the Knicks ran out of gas after battling back from a 13-point deficit to head to the intermission tied 57-57.

Miami outscored the Knicks 33-17 in the third quarter to pull away and continue their recent run of dominance. All but one of their wins during the 11-game skein have been by double-digit margins.

New York's Amare Stoudemire, who had scored 30 or more points in each of the past nine games, had his team-record streak snapped as he registered 24 points, as the Knicks were led by Danilo Gallinari with 25. — Reuters

LONDON: Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has no intention of quitting the Blues at the end of the season and insists he will stay at least until 2012.

The future of the under-pressure Italian has been the subject of fevered speculation, with reports linking him with a return to Italy with Roma.

But he declared he would honour his contract which expires in 2012, and hinted he may stay even longer.

"I'll stay in London at least until 2012," he told Corriere dello Sport.

Ancelotti also rubbished suggestions of a dressing-room rift at Stamford Bridge in the wake of the club's worst run in the Premier League for more than a decade.

"There are no problems in the dressing room, the relationships are good," he said.

"Everything depends on the results that haven't arrived because of too many misfortunes."

Ancelotti highlighted injury and suspension to the likes of Frank Lampard, John Terry, Didier Drogba, Michael Essien and Alex as being the key factor behind his first really tough spell since his appointment a year-and-a-half-ago.

Last month also saw assistant Ray Wilkins sacked having been Ancelotti's right-hand man during last season's historic double success.

The Premier League champions' form has dipped alarmingly since and they have not won for five matches, dropping from first to fourth.

They missed a stoppage-time penalty to beat Tottenham away last Sunday but Ancelotti feels their performance bodes well for this weekend's crunch clash with arch rivals Manchester United.

"In that (Spurs) game I realised that we are alive and we will start winning soon," he said.

Ancelotti will be boosted by the return of star midfielder Lampard, who looks set to start on Sunday after coming through a practice match unscathed yesterday.

Lampard scored in what was a 60-minute game at the club's Cobham training ground, which pitted two sides from the first-team squad against one another.

The 32-year-old made a surprise comeback after three-and-a-half months on the sidelines at Spurs playing the final 12 minutes at White Hart Lane.

The absence of Lampard has also forced Ancelotti to throw summer signing Ramires in at the deep end.

The Brazil midfielder struggled to make an impact since becoming Chelsea's only big-money buy during the last transfer window.

After an outstanding performance against Arsenal last October, the 23-year-old looked to have found his feet but he was unable to rediscover that form until impressing at Spurs.

That has given him the confidence to declare he is finally beginning to demonstrate why Chelsea paid Benfica £18.3 million for his services.

"I feel good, I feel better all the time and I think I am more adapted than I was before, and starting to show the football I played at my previous clubs," Ramires told his club's website.

"I am working harder and harder to show that I am more at home in England."

Ramires, who had never left his native Brazil until moving to Portugal last year, claims the language barrier has been a problem for him but revealed his determination to learn English as quickly as possible.

BARCELONA: Manager Josep "Pep" Guardiola (above) would not like Barcelona to face either Marseille or Lyon in the Champions League round of 16.

The draw for the knockout stages will be held today and the Spanish champions will be a seeded team as they won their group.

Although Barca themselves are the team that the other 15 sides are eager to avoid, Guardiola admits he does not want the Blaugrana to come up against a French club in the first knock-out round.

"I don't want the French in Europe," he said.

"Marseille are a very strong team — animals, physically speaking — and there is a lot of pressure when you play there. They're very well prepared physically and technically. And we all know about Lyon."

The Catalans could face defending champions Inter Milan, 2006 finalists Arsenal as well as former champions AC Milan for a place in the quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic will not lose any sleep over who Milan are paired with as they can beat anyone.

The Rossoneri are unseeded for the draw after finishing second in their group behind Real and this means they could face teams like Chelsea or Barca.

But that is not a problem for Ibrahimovic, whose confidence is growing all the time.

"Who would I prefer out of Guardiola's Barca or Carlo Ancelotti's Chelsea? I don't prefer anyone, we just have to be ready for everything," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"We just have to make sure we are good when it comes to the last 16. Every team is strong, but we don't fear anybody."

Such confidence goes hand in hand with the belief that Milan can win everything this season and match Inter's treble last term.

"I want to win everything. This is normal. We have three objectives — the Scudetto, Champions League and Coppa Italia," said the controversial Swede.

The U.S. Olympic Committee has added five new board members, including former Microsoft executive Robbie Bach, as part of the restructuring of a leadership group that had been widely criticized the past few years.

Former John Hancock CEO James Benson, four-time Olympian Nina Kemppel, former Visa executive Susanne Lyons and USA Hockey executive director Dave Ogrean also were voted in Thursday at the USOC's quarterly board meeting.

The additions bring the board to 15 members, as recommended by former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue's advisory panel. Tagliabue was brought on after the USOC went through a rough 2009 - unexpectedly firing CEO Jim Scherr and taking the brunt of the blame when Chicago came in fourth in the bid to host the 2016 Olympics.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP): Beleagured test captain Ricky Ponting and his assistant Michael Clarke have been named in Australia's provisional 30-man squad for February's World Cup, where the Australians are three-time defending champions.

Ponting and Clarke have both struggled in the ongoing Ashes test series against England, with their positions in the team coming under increasing scrutiny.

In the squad announced Friday by Cricket Australia, Twenty20 specialist David Warner was included along with other newcomers Mitchell Starc, James Pattinson and Stephen O'Keefe.

The squad must be reduced to 15 players by Jan. 19 for the 50-overs tournament which is being hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

"We've selected an initial squad for the World Cup with an array of world-class one-day players, some of whom tasted success in the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup tournament," said selectors' chairman Andrew Hilditch. "Our form in one-day cricket over the last 15 months has been good."

> Australian squad: Australia: Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Clarke, Doug Bollinger, Dan Christian, Xavier Doherty, Callum Ferguson, Brad Haddin, Ryan Harris, John Hastings, Nathan Hauritz, Brad Hodge, James Hopes, David Hussey, Mike Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Shaun Marsh, Andrew McDonald, Clint McKay, Stephen O'Keefe, Tim Paine, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Shaun Tait, Adam Voges, David Warner, Shane Watson, Cameron White.

Pentas akhiri badi

Oleh WAN FAKHRUL BAKAR
fakhrul@kosmo.com.my

SAFIQ RAHIM (kanan) bakal menjadi pemain sandaran pada pertemuan menentang Vietnam di Stadium My Dinh, Hanoi malam ini.

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STADIUM My Dinh di Hanoi, Vietnam bakal menjadi saksi sama ada skuad bola sepak kebangsaan berjaya menamatkan badi separuh akhir atau terus kempunan untuk mara ke final selepas 14 tahun.

Di stadium tersebut malam ini, skuad negara akan berdepan Vietnam untuk meneruskan aksi separuh akhir kedua Piala AFF Suzuki 2010 setelah Malaysia menang 2-0 pada aksi pertama di Stadium Nasional Bukit Jalil, Rabu lalu.

Malaysia hanya pernah sekali melepasi pusingan separuh akhir iaitu pada edisi sulung 1996 dengan menewaskan Indonesia 3-1 tetapi tewas 0-1 kepada Thailand pada aksi final.

Enam edisi berikutnya, Malaysia empat kali tewas di separuh akhir kepada Thailand (2000), Indonesia (2002 & 2004) dan Singapura (2007) serta dua kali kandas di peringkat kumpulan (1998 dan 2008).

Namun menjelang pertemuan penting malam ini, jurulatih kebangsaan, K. Rajagobal enggan terlalu memikirkan rekod lampau sebaliknya mahu para pemain fokus mempertahankan kelebihan dua gol.

"Itu semua cerita lama. Kita tak boleh nak banding sangat kerana ia pasukan dengan jurulatih berbeza dan pemain juga berbeza.

"Apa yang lebih penting, saya mahu pemain beri fokus sepenuhnya kerana Vietnam pasti akan bertubi-tubi memburu gol. Kita tak boleh lepaskan peluang terbaik untuk ke final ini.

"Walaupun menang 2-0 di Bukit Jalil, saya tak fikir pemain akan ambil mudah aksi kedua ini. Cuma saya harap mereka tidak melakukan apa-apa kesilapan individu," katanya kepada Kosmo! semalam.

Sementara itu, dua pemain kebangsaan iaitu penjaga gol, Khairul Fahmi Che Mat dan bek kiri, Asraruddin Putra Omar berjanji untuk mempertahankan kubu mereka dengan baik pada malam ini.

Rajagobal mahu para pemain negara beri fokus sepenuhnya untuk mempertahankan kelebihan dua gol yang dimiliki.

"Kami perlu berusaha lebih keras lagi. Harap barisan pertahanan dapat kekalkan aksi konsisten. Tekanan sentiasa ada tetapi ia hanya akan memberi kesukaran jika kita asyik memikirkannya" kata Khairul Fahmi, 21.

Asraruddin Putra, 22, pula menambah: "Saya belajar daripada kesilapan dan ambil iktibar daripada segala kritikan sebelum ini. Kami di barisan pertahanan akan meningkatkan kerjasama untuk memastikan gawang kita tidak dibolosi."

Namun jurulatih Vietnam, Henrique Calisto bakal menurunkan semula pemain tengah penyerang, Nguyen Trong Hoang yang digantung satu perlawanan Rabu lalu serta dua pemain yang kembali daripada kecederaan, Doan Viet Cuong dan Phan Van Tai Em.

Cabaran futsal belia terhebat

ANTARA aksi hebat yang dipamerkan oleh pemain pada hari pembukaan Futsal 1Belia 1Malaysia di Putrjaya semalam.

Kejohanan Futsal 1Belia 1Malaysia memasuki saingan hari kedua hari ini dengan 555 perlawanan peringkat kumpulan lagi akan diteruskan di Kompleks Futsal Presint 18, Putrajaya.

Kesemua 444 pasukan lelaki dan wanita dari 222 kawasan Parlimen di seluruh negara sekali lagi akan turun ke gelanggang dalam misi memburu dua tempat teratas peringkat kumpulan masing-masing bagi mengesahkan tempat ke pusingan kedua.

Saingan hari ini bakal menyaksikan 555 lagi perlawanan yang penuh mendebarkan, sekaligus menjadi penentu kepada nasib pasukan masing-masing dalam pemburuan hadiah kejuaraan keseluruhan berjumlah RM88,000.

Kemeriahan pada hari pertama semalam memang suka runtuk digambarkan.

Selain pemain, lebih 5,000 pengunjung membanjiri Kompleks Futsal Putrajaya itu yang datang untuk melihat kemahiran dan bakat terpendam peserta-peserta yang bersaing pada pusingan akhir kejohanan yang julung kalinya dianjurkan oleh Kementerian Belia dan Sukan (KBS) ini.

Meskipun hujan turun pada sesi petang, namun saingan di tengah gelanggang tetap meriah.

Begitupun, ada beberapa perlawanan yang tidak dapat diteruskan ekoran hujun lebat dan pengadil membuat keputusan untuk menamatkan perlawanan terbabit ditentukan menerusi sepakan penalti.

Hari ini, empat sesi perlawanan di peringkat kumpulan akan diteruskan bagi mencari 74 pasukan (lelaki) dan 74 (wanita) terbaik untuk beraksi di pusingan kedua.

Selepas itu, 64 pasukan lelaki dan wanita itu akan meneruskan saingan ke pusingan ketiga sebelum menempatkan diri dalam kelompok 32 pasukan terbaik untuk beraksi di pusingan keempat.

Saingan kalah mati ini kemudian diteruskan dengan 16 daripada 32 pasukan tersebut yang akan berentap dalam saingan pusingan kelima.

Pusingan separuh akhir dan final kategori lelaki dan wanita pula akan dilangsungkan pada petang esok.

Selain futsal, beberapa cara sampingan turut diadakan seperti persembahan artis jemputan, cabutan bertuah, pertunjukkan muay thai dan pertandingan mewarna bagi kanak-kanak bawah usia 12 tahun.

Pelbagai gerai pakaian, peralatan sukan serta makanan dan minuman turut disediakan bagi memeriahkan lagi kejohanan yang berlangsung selama tiga hari ini.

Upacara perasmian kejohanan ini semalam disempurnakan oleh Timbalan Menteri Belia dan Sukan, Datuk Razali Ibrahim.

Pada sebelah petang semalam, Menteri Belia dan Sukan, Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek meluangkan masa meninjau perjalanan kejohanan tersebut dan beliau ternyata berpuas hati dengan sambutan serta perjalanan penganjurannya.

Kejohanan ini menampilkan 444 pasukan dari 222 kawasan Parlimen di negara ini melibatkan 222 pasukan bersaing dalam kategori lelaki dan 222 lagi dalam kategori wanita.

Pasukan-pasukan ini merupakan juara pada saingan peringkat Parlimen masing-masing yang telah bermula sejak Ogos lalu.

Juara kategori wanita dan lelaki setiap kawasan Parlimen layak beraksi ke pusingan akhir yang menawarkan hadiah wang tunai RM20,000 kepada juara.

Naib juara akan membawa pulang RM10,000 sementara tempat ketiga akan menerima RM6,000.

Pasukan yang menduduki tempat keempat akan menerima RM4,000 sementara pasukan-pasukan yang menduduki tempat kelima hingga kelapan, masing-masingnya menerima RM1,000.

Pasukan-pasukan yang datang dari luar Lembah Klang ditempatkan di Perkampungan Sukan di Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).

Akhbar Kosmo! dilantik menjadi rakan media kejohanan ini.

ASIAN Games gold medallist Adrian Ang is hitting the right chords at the ongoing Milo International Junior All Stars Championships.

Adrian, also a former national champion, blazed the lanes with a 767 total to reclaim pole position in the local pool, dislodging Syimir Abdul Razak (755) at the Pyramid Megalanes in Bandar Sunway yesterday.

The Penang-born wants to win the event in hope of earning a spot in the men's national squad for next month's Asian Championships in the United Arab Emirates.

The Asian No 9 has been in terrific form throughout the year and made his mark by winning the doubles competition with veteran Alex Liew in last month's Guangzhou Asian Games.

For the record, the 23-year-old has won the boys' open title in two previous editions of the All Stars Championships.

In third position is national youth bowler Johnathan Chan on 747, nine pins ahead of Muhd Syafiq.

In the overseas pool, Australia's Ashley Warren leads with a 755 total, just a mere two pins more than Singapore's Justin Lim. Compatriot Daniel Webb is third on 740.

Sin Li Jane, a national back-up bowler and Lim Hsu Zen are joint leaders in the girls' open with an identical score of 736 pinfalls.

National elite bowler Siti Safiyah Amirah Abdul Rahman, who is hoping for redemption in this event after she was dropped from the Asian Games squad, is third on 695.

In the overseas pool, Australia's Libby Embury leads with 686, ahead of Singapore's Kwa Ai Teng (677) and Bernice Lim (649).

The men's and women's Open champions will be decided today.

RESULTS --Boys' Under-15: 1 Shaun Lau (Sin) 1,692; 2 Muhammad Danial (Mas) 1,631; 3 Muhammad Rafiq Ismail (Mas) 1,623.

Under-12: 1 Soh Yong Ping (Sin) 1,618; 2 Afiq Irsyaduddin (Mas) 1,437; 3 Sean Gabriel (Sin) 1,431.

Girls' Under-15: Steffira Zeandea Greater (Mas) 1,669; 2 Victoria Chin (Mas) 1,647; 3 Kwa Lay Teng (Sin) 1,631.

Under-12: 1 Nur Dayana (Mas) 1,488; 2 Ayra Nur Jehan (Mas) 1,485; 3 Amanda Lee (Sin) 1,442.

WHILE saluting Safee Sali, coach K. Rajagobal has cautioned that the job is only half-done after Malaysia gained a crucial two-goal advantage ahead of the AFF Suzuki Cup semi-final second leg against Vietnam in Hanoi tomorrow.

Mindful that Vietnam handed Myanmar a 7-1 drubbing in their opening Group B match, Rajagobal said the national team deserved their 2-0 win in Bukit Jalil on Wednesday but that was no guarantee of making the final for the first time in 14 years.

"I am looking forward to the next match. The boys showed we had the spark and they really wanted it and were hungry for it.

"The difference (in the first leg) was that we made use of our chances and Vietnam did not. Our finishing was better, that separated the two teams.

"But the job is not done. We have a 2-0 lead and the boys are overjoyed but we know Vietnam will be difficult to beat on their home ground.

"We still have another 90 minutes to play but the opportunity is there and I will leave it to the players to put in another effort.

"What I will be telling the players is that we now have a chance to get to the final, so why not make use of it? " said Rajagobal after Malaysia beat Vietnam for the first time in 10 years.

Safee was the hero of the night, his predatory instincts bringing a brace in the 60th and 80th minutes for his first international goals in two years.

The Selangor striker was swamped by fans as he made his way to the team bus, an acknowledgement that he retains the faith of the supporters despite only now making his comeback to the national team.

"This is more than I could have expected. I had my chances and I took it. I'm glad my goals gave the team the win and I want to thank the fans for their support.

"I hope I'll score again in Hanoi and hopefully give us the away goal that will settle the tie," said Safee, who has recovered from a calf injury which saw him miss the last match against Laos in Palembang.

After a rather subdued first half when they allowed Vietnam to dictate terms, Rajagobal said a more aggressive display by the home team in the second half turned the game around.

"In the first half we sat back and allowed Vietnam to dominate ball possession. Vietnam should have scored then but credit to the defenders for rising to the occasion.

"For the second half, we needed to be more aggressive or we would have been asking for trouble. We had more urgency and raised the tempo.

"Once the first goal came, I knew we would get a second. We should have scored a third but the players were tiring. We also did not give away a goal and kept the defence intact," said Rajagobal, who left with the squad for Hanoi yesterday morning.

Meanwhile, Indonesia beat the Philippines 1-0 in the first leg semi-final with a goal by Cristian Gonzales in the 31st minute at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta yesterday.