Bac Giang: In the 2021 SEA Games men’s team semi-final tie between Malaysia and Singapore, World No. 434 Shaqeem Eiman Shahyar completed the Malaysian comeback on Tuesday, overcoming Singapore’s World No. 224 Joel Koh Jia Wei 21-10, 21-17 to send Malaysia into the final.
Singapore’s reigning World Champion Loh Kean Yew opened the proceeding with his superb form in the first men’s singles match, dispatching Malaysia’s World No. 199 Kok Jing Hong 21-12, 21-12 to give Singapore a 1-0 lead.
The World No. 50 Terry Hee Yong Kai/Loh Kean Hean gave Singapore a 2-0 lead when they beat Malaysia’s scratch pair Junaidi Arif/Man Wei Chong 21-19, 21-13 in the first men’s doubles match.
A tense second men’s singles match, Malaysia’s World No. 276 Lee Shun Yang successfully kept Malaysia’s hopes alive as he needed 79 minutes to beat World No. 88 Jason Teh Jia Heng of Singapore 21-12, 21-23, 21-16.
Malaysia’s World No. 29 mixed doubles player Chen Tang Jie and World No. 80 men’s doubles player Muhammad Haikal were paired together in the second men’s doubles match. They started their Tuesday match against World No. 118 pair Danny Bawa Chrisnanta/Andy Kwek Jun Liang knowing that a win against the Singaporeans was critical if their team was to have a chance of winning at least a silver medal at the 2021 SEA Games men’s team event.
Surprisingly, Chen/Haikal were untroubled and defeated Chrisnanta/Kwek 21-17, 21-15, sending the semi-final tie down to the wire.
The third men’s singles match could be anybody’s match and Shaqeem Eiman Shahyar justified his coach’s faith on him from the get-go to clinch the third point in 42 minutes and seal a 3-2 semi-final victory for Malaysia over Singapore.
Malaysia will play Thailand in the final. Thailand defeated Indonesia 3-2 on Tuesday in another semi-final tie.
Meanwhile, Thailand and Indonesia will meet in the women’s team final on Wednesday.
