Division Two champions MSN Sabah leads the way with MSS Pahang and Ipoh City Council as the three teams qualified to challenge the top five teams from Division One.
But these three teams will face the top three sides that are the front-runners to win the overall title on Sunday.
Sabah will play defending champions Bukit Jalil Sports School while Division One runners-up UniKL will go up against the Division two runners-up MSS Pahang. These teams are drawn in the lower half of the quarterfinal draw.
In the top half newly crowned league champions Bandar Penawar SS-Thunderbolt will play Division Two’s third place team Ipoh City Council.
The other match will see the two Division One teams, Petaling Jaya City Council play BPSS Juniors. This match will be played on Thursday.
Thus except for the MBPJ-BPSS Juniors match the other three will be a foregone conclusion unless there is a major upset.
But Sabah coach Paul Raj begs to differ and felt they had an even chance at playing BJSS.
“Compared to the other two top teams from Division One we will be better off playing BJSS in the last eight. We know from the start that the quarterfinals will be tough proposition for teams in Division Two. But to be champions we have to go through them.
“Winning the Division two title has given my players a lot of confidence and we hope to pull off a surprise in the quarterfinals,” he said yesterday.
BJSS coach S. Prakash agreed that it would be folly to take the Division two teams for granted.
“True enough the top three teams in Division One will have the edge in the quarterfinals but this is a one-off match. So you cannot write off any team. There is no insurance of a rematch this year,” he said.
BJSS who lost their league title are determined to retain their overall crown.
“I believe that my players are well motivated and will be ready for the title challenge. We have nothing to lose and the pressure will be on the two top teams from Division one.
“We will not take any team lightly and there is a great chance that we will face both UniKL and BPSS-Thunderbolt if we make the final,” he added.
UniKL coach I. Vickneswaren said that they have a good idea what is required to win the title.
“But it won’t be easy. It is likely that the Division One teams will have a slight edge but not much where it is dependent on one match.
“We are also determined to win the title after coming close to the league crown. I am sure my players will rise to the occasion,” he said.
The semi-finals will be played on May 28 while the final is slated on May 30 at the Tun Razak Stadium.
