The men’s badminton team suffered their first loss at the Badminton Asia Team Championships in Hyderabad, India after losing 4-1 to Japan yesterday.
Regardless of the defeat, Malaysia advanced to the quarter-finals after finishing as runner-up of Group B, behind first-placed Japan.
Zulfadli Zulkiffli lost the first match to Kento Momota 10-21, 11-21 at the GMC Balayogi Stadium.
Malaysia went 2-0 down as Tan Wee Gieen-Teo Ee Yi battled valiantly but were defeated by Endo-Hayakawa 13-21, 16-21.
However, hope was still strong after team captain, Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin brought down Takuma Ueda 17-21, 21-14, 21-17. The Japanese player helped his country to their first ever Thomas Cup in 2014, after defeating Liew Daren in the final match.
Unfortunately, Juan Shen Low-Tan Kian Meng could not do enough after losing to Takeshi Kamura-Keigo Sonoda 10-21, 21-15, 8-21 in the fourth and decisive match.
The final match saw Soong Joo Ven falling to Kenta Nishomoto 18-21, 19-21.
Malaysia will face India today in the last eight.
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