KUALA LUMPUR: Defending champions Terengganu must watch out for Tenaga Nasional's live wires Azrai Aizad Abu Kamal and Jang Jong Hyun in tomorrow's TNB Cup final at the National Hockey Stadium.
Azrai, despite suffering a left ankle injury on Tuesday, scored a goal against Universiti Teknologi Mara in Tenaga's 5-1 win in the semi-final second leg yesterday. He is currently the Malaysia Hockey League's top scorer with 31 goals.
South Korean penalty corner specialist Jong Hyun is the second highest with 25 goals followed by Terengganu's Faizal Saari (22 goals).
Terengganu reached the final with a 6-1 aggregate win over Maybank while Tenaga advanced with a 8-2 aggregate win over UiTM.
In the Charity Shield last month, Tenaga beat Terengganu 3-2 in a penalty shootout after both teams were tied 2-2 in regulation time.
Terengganu captain Fitri Saari said the East Coast side need to stop Azrai and Jong Hyun from doing the damage in the final.
"Last year, Jong Hyun played for us and he scored the winner against Tenaga (2-1) in the final. But this season he joined Tenaga.
"The pressure will be on us to defend the TNB Cup. Last year we won the treble but this year Tenaga won both the Charity Shield and league.
"On paper Tenaga look to be the hot favourites as they are powered by 10 national players and also Jong Hyun.
"We have only two national players, goalkeeper Hafizuddin Othman and me.
"We have to play consistently well to match them. We have to be physically fit to give them a strong challenge and mentally strong to fight back when we are trailing." said Fitri, who has scored eight league goals.
Tenaga coach Nor Saiful Zaini said the final will be 50-50 for them.
"Both Terengganu and Tenaga players know each other's game well as most of them have played in the national team together. And some of Terengganu players are also from the TNB development programme.
"Terengganu players have been playing together for a few years now, and they qualified for the final many times and also won it a number of times.
"We have to be wary of their counter attacks and they have good players like Akhimullah Anuar Esook and the Saari brothers Faizal and Fitri.
"We hope Azrai (who scored 40 league goals last year) and Jong Hyun will shine in the final."
Azrai scored against Terengganu in the final last year but it was the East Coast team who triumphed 2-1.
