Harapan Malaysia untuk mara lebih jauh dalam perebutan Piala Tong Yun Kai 2019 tidak kesampaian apabila gagal merekodkan sebarang kemenangan ke atas Jepun apabila terkandas di peringkat suku akhir buat dua edisi berturut turut.
Dalam penganjuran di Bandaraya Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, dua tahun lalu, Malaysia tidak bernasib baik apabila bertemu China dalam suku akhir.
Dalam aksi di Hong Kong itu, pertemuan lebih awal dengan China semalam menyaksikan Malaysia terpaksa akur sebagai naib juara kumpulan untuk menempah aksi dengan Jepun, hari ini.
Ia memerlukan pertarungan selama dua jam 40 minit sebelum Jepun mengesahkan slot ke separuh akhir.
Selepas kekalahan beregu lelaki, Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Mohd Rumsani, kepada Takuro Hoki-Yugo Kobayashi dalam aksi tiga set, giliran perseorangan wanita, Ho Yen Mei, pula kelihatan terganggu sebelum mampu bersaing dengan Aya Ohori tetapi tewas 21-9, 25-23.
Kedudukan itu menyaksikan tekanan buat Cheam June Wei dalam menghidupkan peluang buat Malaysia tetapi akhirnya terpaksa menyerah kalah kepada Kanta Tsuneyama dalam pertarungan tiga set.
Penulis Jemputan
Fri Mar 22 2019
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