PLAY-OFFS: Brunei take fifth, Singapore seventh
Brunei and Singapore finished off their tournaments on a high with victories in the fifth and seventh-placed play-offs.
JAPAN 9-15, 7-15, 16-17 BRUNEI
USA 16-17, 10-15, 13-15 SINGAPORE
Brunei Darussalam improved as the tournament went on and rounded it off with style. Two defeats (to the incredibly strong Korea and Thailand) on the opening day did nothing to dampen their enthusiasm, and they came roaring back with wins over Chinese Taipei and, in one of the upsets of the competition, Singapore. They then followed this up with a straight-sets win over fourth-ranked Japan on Saturday which will see them leap up to seventh in the ISTAF Super Series rankings.
Brunei were two sets clear before Japan got into their stride, and even when they did, the men in silver had enough in the tank to close out a nail-biting third set where both teams saved set points before Muhd Basyiruddin spiked to give them a third victory in a row and fifth place in the tournament.
Singapore meanwhile put and to a bad run. Having lost to Brunei and then gone down very tamely to Korea on Saturday morning, relegating them to fourth in the group, they regrouped and saw off a valiant USA team to secure seventh place. The Americans were again heavily reliant on captain Tony Ontam, who often tekonged, blocked and spiked all in the space of one point. He took them to within a point of the set in the opener and to 12-8 up in the third, but Mohammed Magrib, Mohammed Farhan and Mohammed Amir knew that if they could cut down thier own errors, then mistakes would come from their oppents, and they secured the points that will take them level wi th Brunei at sixth in the rankings. USA mean while will be up to eighth and will make the long journey back home with renewed confidence.
WOMEN'S SEMI-FINALS: Thais and Koreans set up repeat of Bangkok final
korea will have another chance to take their revenge on Thailand, who defeated them in the final of the ISTAF Super Series in Bangkok and in the group stages here in Palembang.
THAILAND 15-5, 15-9, 15-6 VIETNAM
INDONESIA 4-15, 5-15, 12-15 KOREA
Saturday's two semi-finals showed that Vietnam have yet to solve the problem they have against the Thais, and that while Indonesia are a very good team, they need more matches and more experience.
Thailand were first up, and they never looked in trouble against a Vietnamese team they have now beaten at the past three tournaments. They could even afford to leave captain and tekong Wanwisa on the bench throughout, with Sunthari taking over to excellent effect. Vietnam meanwhile could not decide between the windmill serves of Yen and the move conventional style of World Cup MVP Trang. The latter fared better, getting her team to within six points of thier opponents in the second set, but that was as good as it got.
Thailand now have a remake of the Bangkok final to look forward to, after Korea cruised past Indonesia. The host nation had been on fine form in the group stages, defeating Japan and Vietnam, but thier youngsters let the occassion get the better of them on Saturday. Coach Ahmadi was forced to call a time-out mere minutes into the lie with his young charges already 6-0 down, and by the time they had conqured their nerves, they were already two sets adrift. Their day will come, however, and they have proved themselves to be more than worthy of an ISTAF Super Series slot.
Korea meanwhile will take heart ahead of Sunday's final frome the face that they had a set point against Thailand in the group stages. Can they go one step further in the title match?
MEN'S SEMI-FINALS: A World Cup Final remake!
Thailand and Malaysia have set up an ISTAF World Cup final re-make here in Palembang.
MALAYSIA 15-13, 15-8, 15-12 KOREA
THAILAND 15-5, 15-10, 15-3 INDONESIA
Home hearts were broken by the Thai performance on Saturday. With captain Pattarapong this tine playing alongside Pornchai and Sakha, they were as strong as ever. Sakha opened with an ace straight down the middle and the Thais were never header. Korean setter Jeong Wong Deuk did everything in his power to stem the tide, leaping up onto the boards on any number of occassions to retrieve the ball and even suffering an injury with two points of the match remaining. But his blood, sweat and tears were to no avail. Pornchai was on omninously good form and there was no stopping the World Champions.
They will face Malaysia in Sunday's final as the men in orange continue their incredible resurgence. Having made the final of the ISTAF World Cup on home soil they then flattered to deceive at the inaugural ISTAF Super Series event in Bangkok last September. But now they are back to their best, Norshahruddin is back and spiking like never before, and Mohammed Fadil has made the tekong role his own. Korea defended stoutly but Malaysia were just that little bit too good on all the big points. Shin Ham Young did his best as tekong but the Koreans were (ever so slightly) second best on the day.
Sunday will therefore see Korea and Indonesia battle for third place, before Thailand and Malaysia renew acquaintances in the final. And what a match that promises to be.
Credit
Author : Drew Lilley
sepaktakraw.org
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