KUALA LUMPUR: Defending champions Malaysia will play against Japan today in a crucial tie to decide the Group A winners in the mixed team competition of the Asian Junior Championships at the Juara Stadium in Bukit Kiara here.
The winners will avoid a quarter-final encounter against mighty China. If Malaysia top the group, they are likely to take on Taiwan and have the better chance to qualify for the semi-finals.
Malaysia and Japan both have two wins each after yesterday group ties.
Malaysia lost the boy’s singles match in a 4-1 win over India 4-1 in the morning and cruised to a 5-0 win over Iraq. Japan had to come back from two matches down in the mixed doubles and boy’s singles to beat India 3-2 win in the afternoon after notching a 5-0 win over Iraq.
And after watching the Japanese team in action, Malaysian doubles shuttler Mak Hee Chun, who partners Teo Kok Siang, felt they have a good chance of getting the better of their rivals today.
“If we get to play, I think we can beat the Japanese pair and win a point. I think we have a good chance to beat Japan even though none of us has played against their players before,” said the 18-year-old, who is making his last appearance in the Asian Juniors.
The group ties will be completed in the morning today and the quarter-finals will begin at 6pm.
Group A: Malaysia bt India 4-1 (Mak Hee Chun-Vivian Hoo bt Pranav Chopra 21-12, 21-9; Tan Aik Quan lost to Guru Sai Dutt 18-21, 16-21; Tee Jing Yi bt P.C. Thulasi 21-17, 21-18; Hee Chun-Teo Kok Siang bt Pranav Chopra-Sai Praneeth 22-20, 15-21, 21-9; Jing Yi-Vivian bt Sikki Reddy-Thulasi 21-17, 21-18);
Malaysia bt Iraq 5-0 (Sannatasah Saniru bt H. Ola 21-1, 21-4; Chooi Kah Ming-Ng Hui Ern bt B. Haiper-K. Athraa 21-9, 21-4; Iskandar Zulkarnain bt H. Mostafa 21-3, 21-4; Yeoh Choong Yee-Chooi Kah Ming bt O. Mohamad-W. Moataz 21-4, 21-5; Chong Vee Vian-Ong Boon Hui bt Ola-Athraa 21-3, 21-4);
Japan bt Iraq 5-0, Japan bt India 3-2.
Group B: South Korea bt Singapore 5-0, Hong Kong bt Macau 5-0, Singapore bt Macau 5-0, South Korea bt Hong Kong 5-0.
Group C: China bt Sri Lanka 5-0, Taiwan bt Kazakhstan 5-0, China bt Kazakhstan 5-0, Taiwan bt Sri Lanka 5-0.
Group D: Indonesia bt Vietnam 4-1, Thailand bt North Korea 5-0, Indonesia bt North Korea 5-0, Thailand bt Vietnam 5-0.
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