Men's doubles pair Goh Sze Fei (front) and Nur Izzuddin Rumsani emerged as the heroes for Malaysia after delivering the winning point against Taiwan in the Group B match in the Asia Team Championships. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star
SHAH ALAM: Malaysia defeated Taiwan 3-2 in their final Group B men’s team match in the Asia Team Championships at the Setia City Convention Center on Thursday (Feb 15).
Men’s singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia got the team off to a flying start with a commanding 21-16, 21-13 win over world No. 21 Lin Chun-yi.
It was sweet revenge for world No. 10 Zii Jia, who lost to Chun-yi in their last meeting in the Malaysian Masters last year.
Hopes were then high on national No. 1 men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik to double the advantage, but the duo suffered a shock 21-23, 17-21 defeat at the hands of scratch pairing Lee Jhe-huei-Lee Yang.
World No. 38 Leong Jun Hao, though, gave Malaysia a 2-1 advantage after overcoming world No. 33 Lee Chia-hao 21-19, 21-17 in the second singles match.
In the second doubles, Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani stood tall to beat scratch combination Wang Chi-lin-Yang Po-han 21-19, 21-14 to give the team victory.
18-year-old Eogene Ewe lost the third singles 16-21, 14-21 to Chi Yu-jen but the defeat was rendered meaningless.
Malaysia has now qualified for the quarter-finals on Friday (Feb 16) as group winners.
