KUALA LUMPUR: “We lost with our pride intact.” This was the reaction of the national men’s squad manager, Yusoff Ali after Malaysia’s loss to top seeds Thailand in the final of the International Sepaktakraw Federation (ISTAF) World Cup in India, yesterday.
Malaysia showed determination and sheer fighting spirit especially in the second set where they stretched the Thais who eventually won with a score of 23-21.
“Our players gave their very best to win. Just a few mistakes hampered our efforts to emerge victorious. Congratulations is due to our players for forcing the opponents to really sweat it out for victory.
“In fact, at one point, the Thais got worried and even despatched their experienced tekong, Siriwat Sakha. For me, this is a loss where our pride is still very much intact,” he said.
The national squad also fought well in the first set in which they went down 19-21.
However Yusoff admitted that the roughly 15 minute blackout at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium contributed to the loss for the squad coached by Abdul Talib Ahmad.
“In my opinion, the mistake of not gaining control of the first touch when on the receiving end of the opponent’s service especially during important periods of a match need to be addressed and improved,” he said.
The achievement in Hyderabad is a repeat of the 2011 edition when the national squad lost to Thailand in the final when it was held in Kuala Lumpur.