A HAT-TRICK by striker Liew Kit Kong, a former Malaysian footballer, powered Royal Selangor Club to a 4-2 victory over Selangor All Stars in the Masters’ final of the prestigious 24th Penang Sports Club International Soccer 7s at the PSC grounds on Sunday.
In the hard-fought encounter, Kit Kong was in fine form as he had been throughout the group stage, making the difference with his accurate and timely strikes.
In the Veterans’ final, Kuala Lumpur-based logistics company MRM clinched the title with a dramatic 2-1 win over Jurong Weston of Singapore. The match was keenly contested, with ex-national player Amri Yahyah netting both goals for MRM to secure the trophy.
Selangor All Stars, meanwhile, lifted the Grandmasters’ crown after edging Happy Soccer Club 1-0 in a tense final.
Altogether, some 700 players took part in the two-day tournament over the weekend, which featured a total of 233 matches. The event not only promoted the sport but also contributed to sports tourism in the state.
As in previous years, many of the participating teams fielded former internationals and state players, giving football enthusiasts a rare opportunity to see yesteryear’s stars in action. Teams came from across the region, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore, the Maldives, Australia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and China.
Among the notable Malaysian players featured were former national coach Tan Cheng Hoe (representing PSC), Putra Mahayayudin, Amri Yahyah, S. Chandru, Chan Kok Heng, S. Veenod, S. Subramaniam, Latiff Suhaimi, Thirumurugan, Karim Pin, V. Murugan, A. Rukkumaran, Mohd Ramezey Che Ros, P. Maniam, and D. Surendren.
Penang Sports Club trustees Datuk Mohamad Junid Mohd Noor and Datuk Dr S. Shankar, together with organising chairman A. Balasubramaniam, presented prize money, challenge trophies, and medals to the winners and runners-up of all categories.
“Everything went smoothly. This year’s tournament saw a record 70 teams playing their hearts out. There were many thrilling matches, and I’m pleased it turned out to be a big success,” said Balasubramaniam.
He also expressed his heartfelt thanks to the event’s main sponsors such as Penang State Sports Council/Sports Exco, Penang Tourism and Creative Economy (PETACE), Bukit Bendera MP Syerleena Abdul Rashid, and RGB International for their support.
RESULTS:
Main Competition:
Grandmasters’ Final: Selangor All Stars bt Happy Soccer Club 1-0.
Masters’ Final: Royal Selangor Club ‘A’ bt Selangor All Stars 4-2.
Veterans’ Final: MRM bt Jurong Weston 2-1.
Plate Competition:
Grandmasters’ Final: Royal Selangor Club bt Semarang Old Stars 3-2.
Masters’ Final: Rossoneri Malaya bt Penang Sports Club 3-1.
Veterans’ Final: Melwood Boys bt PISS 3-0.
Pix courtesy of Penang Sports Club