KUALA Lumpur Hockey Club (KLHC) only just survived to start their breakaway journey in the Premier Division of the Malaysia Hockey League at the Kuantan Stadium yesterday.

KLHC took a 2-0 lead, but they allowed UniKL to crawl back into the match before eventually winning 3-2 to take a five point lead midway in the League.

In another match, Sapura indicated that they have reached a turning point when they beat Tenaga Nasional 2-0.

However, KLHC look set to consolidate their lead when they play bottom-of-the-table UITM today at the same venue.

"We almost paid the price for being complacent after taking a 2-0 lead. It almost turned out to be a disaster as we allowed UniKL to draw level but I am happy that we walked away with three points in this crucial encounter," said KLHC coach K. Dharmaraj.

KLHC took the lead through a Mohamed Noor Faeez field attempt in the fourth minute, but were made to struggle until the 32nd minute before increasing the lead off Baljit Singh's penalty corner attempt.

However, UniKL fought back with goals from Ramadan Rosli in the 51st minute, and Syamim Yusof in the 59th minute.

Razie Rahim, a national penalty corner flicker, saved the day for KLHC when he flicked in the winner in the 66th minute.

Sapura, who were struggling initially in the League, found their footing against Charity Shield holders Tenaga Nasional but coach I. Vickneswaran is not ready to read too much into this game.

"Yes, we started badly but are now on an upward trend. However KLHC are too far ahead to chase.

"We will continue playing our game and not be too focused on chasing the leaders at this stage.

"Hopefully, the good vibes will continue, and we will see where it leads," said Vickneswaran.

Sapura dominated the match but could only open scoring in the 57th minute of Izwan Firdaus' field attempt, while Rodhanizam Radzi slammed in the second in the 60th minute.

PREMIER DIVISION -- RESULTS: Tenaga Nasional 0 Sapura 2, Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club 3 UniKL 2, Yayasan Negri Sembilan 6 Nur Insafi 1, Armed Forces-Airod 0 UiTM 2.

TODAY: Maybank v UniKL (3pm), Tenaga Nasional v Nur Insafi (4.45pm), Kuala Lumpur Hockey Club v UiTM (6.30pm), Yayasan Negri Sembilan v Armed Forces-Airod (8.15pm) - Matches at Kuantan Stadium.

DIVISION ONE -- TOMORROW: Ipoh City Council v Bukit Jalil Sports School (Azlan Shah Stadium, 5pm), Bandar Penawar Sports School v Malacca CC (Bandar Penawar, 5pm), Armed Forces Juniors v Universiti Sains Malaysia (Tun Razak Stadium, 5pm).

THERE was no stopping Lee Chong Wei while men's doubles Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong crawled into the semi-finals of the US$1.2 million (RM3.66 million) Korea Open in Seoul yesterday.

Chong Wei had a comfortable 21-14, 21-19 win over China's future star Wang Zhengming in 37 minutes to stay in contention to secure the US$90,000 (RM275,000) winner's purse.

Kien Keat-Boon Heong were not as fluent but did enough to reach the semi-finals after beating compatriots Fairuzizuan Tazari-Ong Soon Hock 21-17, 12-21, 21-16.

Zhengming was supposed to put up some resistance against Chong Wei but the World No 1 was never in trouble despite a late fightback in the second game where the China shuttler scored four points in a row to level the score after trailing 14-18.

Chong Wei will meet another China back-up player Du Pengyu, who defeated Kenichi Tago of Japan 21-17, 21-11, in the last four.
Chong Wei has already secured the first two events of the year -- World Super Series Masters Finals and Malaysia Open -- and should seal his place in the final convincingly, having beaten Pengyu in three meetings.

Olympic champion Lin Dan of China looked in good form as he defeated Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia 21-13, 8-21, 21-15 in 49 minutes to set up a semi-final clash with Simon Santoso of Indonesia. It was Lin Dan's 10th victory over Taufik in 14 meetings.

Simon, a semi-finalist in the Malaysia Open, beat Peter Gade Christensen of Denmark 21-17, 21-16 yesterday.

Kien Keat-Boon Heong are on a poor run after failing to win any matches in the World Super Series Masters Finals and then crashing in the first round of the Malaysia Open.

They will be put to the sword again by South Korean rivals Jung Jae Sung-Lee Yong Dae, who beat compatriots Kim Ki Jung-Kim Sa Rang 21-19, 21-15, today.

Jae Sung-Yong Dae have beaten Kien Keat-Boon Heong nine times in 11 meetings.

Q-Final RESULTS -- Men's Singles: Lee Chong Wei (Mas) bt Wang Zhengming (Chn)
21-14, 21-19; Du Pengyu (Chn) bt Kenichi Tago (Jpn) 21-17, 21-11; Simon Santoso (Ina) bt Peter Gade Christensen (Den) 21-17, 21-16; Lin Dan (Chn) bt Taufik Hidayat (Ina) 21-13, 8-21, 21-15.

Doubles: Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen (Den) bt Mads Condrads Petersen-Jonas Rasmussen (Den) 21-9, 21-13; Ko Sung Hyun-Yoo Yeon Seong (Kor) 21-8, 10-21, 21-16; Jung Jae Sung-Lee Yong Dae (Kor) bt Kim Ki Jung-Kim Sa Rang (Kor) 21-19, 21-15; Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong (Mas) bt Fairuzizuan Tazari-Ong Soon Hock (Mas) 21-17, 12-21, 21-16.

Women's Singles: Wang Shixian (Chn) bt Tine Baun (Den) 21-15, 12-21, 24-22; Sung Ji Hyun (Kor) bt Wang Xin (Chn) 11-21, 21-9, 21-19; Porntip Buranaprasertsuk (Tha) bt Sayaka Sato (Jpn) 21-12, 17-21, 21-6; Wang Yihan (Chn) bt Jiang Yanjiao (Chn) 21-18, 21-13.