Men’s badminton squad stave off S’pore for final berth

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia yesterday ward off Singapore’s challenge in the men’s badminton team semifinals to march into the final with a 3-0 victory at the 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games.

The national squad collected their first point when Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin subdued Ryan Ng Zin Rei 19-21, 21-17, 21-10 in a closely contested match while Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi overpowered Terry Hee Yong Kai-Loh Kean Hean, 21-10 2220 21-15 on another gruelling match for the second point and Malaysia’s ticket to the final.

Singles player Soong Joo Ven was also stretched 921, 21-17, 21-18 by Loh Kean Yew before delivering the third point for a 3-0 rout of Singapore.

Iskandar, 26, said he was relieved to give Malaysia the lead and hoped to do even better in the final.

“I took control of my game after hearing the vociferous cheers of our fans. It is a therapeutic factor for me,” he said.

“Tomorrow (today) it is against Indonesia...the seeded team. Their singles players are dangerous, but we are prepared for them,” he said.

Men’s singles coach Indra Wijaya wants the players to perform as normal and not to be pressured so as to ensure the gold goes to Malaysia.

He said a gold medal would end Malaysia’s 15year drought in the men’s team event after their last victory in 2005 SEA Games in Manila.

Meanwhile badminton fans have been told to drum up support for the national men’s and women’s squads in the team finals today at Arena Axiata in Bukit Jalil.

Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) president Datuk Seri Mohamad Norza Zakaria called on Malaysians to chant the war cry “Go Go Go Malaysia Go” to help the men’s and women’s teams at the venue. – Bernama