PETALING JAYA: Two-time Thomas Cup runners-up South Korea were left disappointed after missing the cut for the Thomas Cup Finals quarter-finals on countback.
The team led by head coach Park Joo-bong defeated Sweden 5-0 win in their final Group C tie on Wednesday (April 29) but Taiwan spoiled their party.
Taiwan led by seaseoned campaigner Chou Tien-chen pulled off a surprise 3-2 victory over hosts Denmark in a decisive battle for a place in the quarter-finals.
Taiwan showed strong fighting spirit at Forum Horsens despite falling 0-1 behind after Chou Tien-chen lost to Anders Antonsen 14-21, 21-13, 15-21.
Men's doubles Chiu Hsiang-chieh-Wang Chi-lin levelled the tie after defeating Daniel Lundgaard-Mads Vestergaard 21-7, 22-20.
Lin Chun-yi tried to extend Taiwan’s lead but fell to Magnus Johannesen 17-21, 21-16, 19-21.
Liu Kuang-heng-Yang Po-hsuan kept Taiwan alive by holding their nerve to overcome Kim Astrup-Mathias Christiansen 24-22, 21-17.
Chi Yu-jen, fielded in the deciding singles, stunned the home crowd by sealing a 3-2 win after edging Ditlev Holm 21-11, 9-21, 27-25.
The win carried Taiwan into the quarter-finals as Group C champions, while Denmark also progressed as runners-up.
Although South Korea won twice, having beaten Taiwan earlier, they fell short on three match difference compared with Chinese Taipei and Denmark who both recorded five.
As a result, Korea finished third in the group and were eliminated at the group stage.
Taiwan as the group champions will be drawn to meet one of these group runners-up - Malaysia, France and India.
On Wednesday, India gave China a good fight before going down 2-3 in their final group tie.
