KUALA LUMPUR (4 January, 2017): Puchong United BC continued their rich vein in form after narrowly defeating Ampang Jaya BC 10-8 during their SS Purple League (SSPL) 2016/17 8pm match today at the Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium, Cheras.

Ampang Jaya started well thanks to Cheam June Wei victory in the first men’s singles match. Cheam made sure his opponent, Syed Akhbar did not have the fondest of memories in his first SSPL 2016/17 appearance as he defeated the Puchong United player 3-1.

However they blew their lead as Puchong United stormed ahead to win the women’s singles match and men’s doubles match. Pan Lu defeated Ampang Jaya’s Xu Wei 3-1 in an all-Chinese affair during their women’s singles while Puchong United’s Taiwanese pair of Lee Yang and Lee Jhe Huei brushed aside their opponents, Lukhi Nugroho and Muhammad Syawal in straight sets.

Ampang Jaya did level the overall score at 7-7 after the mixed doubles match as their Singaporean pair – Tan Wei Han and Terry Hee Yong Kai – won their match with ease, beating Teoh Mei Xin and Lim Khim Wah in straight sets.

But it was Puchong United who prevailed with the win at the end led by Malaysian shuttler, Chong Wei Feng. Wei Feng used his veteran instincts to fend off the pressure and beat Ampang Jaya’s Lee Cheuk Yiu 3-1 in the second men’s singles match of the tie.

“We initially aimed to get 11 points in this match but because of the squad rotation, we fell one short of our target. We need all our players to get used to this competitive environment that is why we made the changes,” said Puchong United’s team manager, Irina Inozemtseva.

Meanwhile, Petaling BC was made to sweat as they struggled past a stubborn Bangsar Hawks BC side 11-8 earlier today at the Kuala Lumpur Badminton Stadium, Cheras.

Petaling BC was hungry for more points after beating neighbours Petaling Jaya BC in their last match while second from bottom side, Bangsar Hawks BC was aiming to climb up the standings.

Japanese international, Kenichi Tago got Petaling off to a flying start as he wasted no time in dispatching Bangsar Hawks’ Du Yu Hang in straight sets. With that win, Tago maintained his 100% record of straight sets win – his fifth of the season so far.

Lee Ying Ying then crucially dragged her side back into the tie with an impressive 3-0 win over her senior, Petaling’s Lim Yin Fun in the women’s singles match. Lee also kept up her remarkable record of seven wins a row as she proved to be a frequent and reliable point contributor for the Bangsar Hawks side.

Andrei Adistia and Chen Tang Jie managed to give Petaling a slender lead after overcoming a stubborn Bangsar Hawks’ pair of Irfan Fadhilah and Loh Kean Hean 3-2 in their men’s doubles match.

However, they were once again pegged back by Bangsar Hawks as their Indonesian mixed doubles pair of Agripinna Prima Ramanto and Devi Tika Permatasari lost to the Hawks’ Joyce Choong and Pei Tian Yi 2-3 in a drama-filled match.

With the match all square at 8-8, Iskandar Zulkarnian stepped up to the plate to deliver Petaling the win. He beat Thomi Azizan Mahbub in straight sets to ensure Petaling edge closer to qualifying for the SSPL 2016/17 Stage 2 phase.

“It was quite a comfortable victory for me, because I am more experienced than my opponent. And that is the biggest factor,” said match-winner, Iskandar.

“Bangsar Hawks definitely gave us a run for our money. We saw their line-up and expected a very close fight because at this point all teams would want to not only win, but to collect points. So in the end, we were lucky with the 3-0 win by Iskandar,” said Petaling’s head coach, Yap Kim Hock.

“We are not safe just yet and definitely have not achieved qualification. We have to be wary of our next two opponents – Puchong United and Ampang Jaya – as they are very strong,” added Kim Hock.

SSPL 2016/17 Results (4 January 2017)
(8pm) Puchong United BC bt Ampang Jaya BC 10-8
MS2: Syed Akhbar lost to Cheam June Wei 1-3 (4-11, 3-11, 11-8, 4-11)
WS: Pan Lu bt Xu Wei 3-1 (11-7, 11-7, 8-11, 11-9)
MD: Lee Jhe Huei-Lee Yang bt Lukhi Nugroho-Muhammad Syawal 3-0 (11-10, 11-7, 11-7)
XD: Lim Khim Wah-Teoh Mei Xin lost to Tan Wei Han-Terry Hee Yong Kai 0-3 (8-11, 5-11, 6-11)
MS1: Chong Wei Feng bt Lee Cheuk Yiu (11-9, 11-8, 4-11, 8-7)

(4pm) Bangsar Hawks BC lost to Petaling BC 8-11
MS2: Du Yu Hang lost to Kenichi Tago 0-3 (7-11, 6-11, 4-11)
WS: Lee Ying Ying bt Lim Yin Fun 3-0 (11-4, 11-6, 11-9)
MD: Irfan Fadhilah-Loh Kean Hean lost to Andrei Adistia-Chen Tang Jie 2-3 (7-11, 10-11, 11-9, 11-5, 6-8)
XD: Joyce Choong-Pei Tian Yi bt Agripinna Prima Ramanto-Devi Tika Permatasari 3-2 (9-11, 11-9, 4-11, 11-10, 5-4)
MS1: Thomi Azizan Mahbub lost to Iskandar Zulkarnian 0-3 (2-11, 7-11, 3-11)