03/05/2026

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theSun on Sunday MAY 3, 2026

SPORTS 15 RESULTS & STANDINGS ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: Leeds 3 (Stach 8, Okafor 52, Calvert-Lewin 56) Burnley 1 (Tchaouna 71) . P W D L F A Pts Arsenal 34 22 7 5 64 26 73 Man City 33 21 7 5 66 29 70 Man Utd 34 17 10 7 60 46 61 Liverpool 34 17 7 10 57 44 58 Aston Villa 34 17 7 10 47 42 58 Brighton 34 13 11 10 48 39 50 LA LIGA: Girona 0 Mallorca 1 (Costa 43) . TOP 6 P W D L F A Pts Barcelona 33 28 1 4 87 30 85 Real Madrid 33 23 5 5 68 31 74 Villarreal 33 20 5 8 59 38 65 Atl Madrid 33 18 6 9 56 37 60 Real Betis 33 12 14 7 49 41 50 Getafe 33 13 5 15 28 34 44 SERIE A: Pisa 1 (Leris 56) Lecce 2 (Banda 52, Cheddira 65). TOP 6 P W D L F A Pts Inter Milan 34 25 4 5 80 31 79 Napoli 34 21 6 7 52 33 69 AC Milan 34 19 10 5 48 27 67 Juventus 34 18 10 6 57 29 64 Como 34 17 10 7 59 28 61 Roma 34 19 4 11 48 29 61

Malaysian Paper

/theSunMedia /

Futile attempt Imbalance in singles and doubles highlights Thomas Cup nonperformance

BY ZUJ AHSAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

MALAYSIA’S current standing in world badminton has come under renewed scrutiny after being trounced 3-0 by China in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Thomas Cup on Friday, raising pressing questions about the team’s true level on the world stage. Sports commentator Datuk Pekan Ramli said the defeat exposed long standing weaknesses, particularly the imbalance between singles and doubles – an issue that has persisted across mul tiple editions of the tournament. “Where are we now in terms of level? This result clearly shows we are still far behind, even when China are no longer at their peak,” he told theSun when con tacted. He added that while Malaysia’s early exits at the quarterfinal or semifinal stages were not new, this year’s cam paign revealed a deeper concern – the squad’s lack of balance. “We don’t have singles players who can consistently contribute points, except for one. At the same time, our doubles, which we depend on, also failed to deliver,” he added. Pekan said expectations were high for the doubles pairs of Aaron Chia - Soh Wooi Yik and Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani given their rankings, but inconsistency and frequent reshuffling undermined their effectiveness. “We were hoping our doubles would carry the team, but they disappointed. Even in the group stage, we had the opportunity to avoid China by topping

but they can still beat us comfortably. That shows how far we are behind.” He said Malaysia must now return to the drawing board and adopt a long term strategy. “If we want to win the Thomas Cup, we need to start preparing now for the next edition – develop players, push them into the top rankings, and build a balanced team. “Otherwise, we will continue to fall at the same stage.” Malaysia’s men’s badminton team was eliminated from the 2026 Thomas Cup in the quarterfinals, losing 3-0 to defending champion China in Horsens, Denmark. First single Leong Jun Hao lost 21-10, 16-21, 21-9 to world No. 1 Shi Yu Qi in the opening singles. Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik then fell 24-22, 21-14 to Liang Wei Keng-Wang Chang in the first dou bles, putting more pressure to Justin Hoh. In the penultimate game, Justin lost 21-14, 21-13 to Li Shi Feng in the second singles to confirmed Malaysia exit, extending Malaysia 34 years wait to lift the trophy after last winning the Thomas Cup in 1992.

the group, but we fell short due to inconsistent performances.” He also questioned the decision to form temporary or “scratch” pairings, saying the move disrupted stability. “When you break and reform pairs, it affects rhythm. Even when they returned to their original pairings, the performance was still not convincing.” On the singles front, Pekan acknowl edged there were moments of resis tance, but overall, the standard remains below what is required to compete at the highest level. “There were signs of fight, but we are still not there yet. We still do not have a truly balanced Thomas Cup team.” Pekan added that Malaysia’s current approach appears too reliant on fortune rather than structured planning. “If we depend on luck, we will not go far. Our top singles and doubles players must be in the world’s top 10. “Only then can we talk about going further.” Despite China no longer being as dominant as in previous eras, Pekan said the defeat still highlighted the gap in quality of both nations. “China are not as strong as before,

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piece, which is totally unac ceptable. “But after that goal, the boys started to wake up. Performance-wise, there’s nothing wrong. “We played good football, entertaining football. It was just about converting our chances.” The Singaporean said key tactical tweaks after the break, including reshuffling roles and introducing fresh legs, allowed Kuching to seize control. “In the second half, we made changes, put Yuki Tanigawa in midfield and brought Gabriel Nistelrooy up front. “It changed a lot. We con trolled the game well, and Terengganu didn’t really have chances. “It shows the character and quality of the boys,” Aidil said. The Singaporean coach also acknowledged the big ger challenge ahead, with Kuching now pushing for an Asian Champions League spot, unfamiliar territory for the club. “This is something new for Kuching City. They’ve never been under this kind of pres sure fighting for something big. But we want to test our selves. No promises, but the boys will give everything,” Aidil said. – Bernama/ Agencies

KUCHING CITY FC has over taken Selangor FC and is second in the Super League after beating Terengganu FC 2-1 at the Sarawak State Stadium in Kuching on Friday night. Terengganu scored first through Shervoni Mabatshoev in the 13th min ute, which shocked the home team into action, but Kuching FC were unable to equalise in the first half. Kuching City FC kept up their efforts and were rewarded when Wanja Ronald Ngah scored the equaliser in the 63rd minute, giving hope to his team and the home fans. The winning goal came in the 79th minute, thanks to Cameroon forward Jerome Mpacko Etame, securing three points and second place for Kuching City ahead of Selangor FC. Kuching City head coach Aidil Sharin Sahak insisted his team did not deserve to lose as he praised his play ers’ character following Friday’s comeback win. “Credit must be given to the players. I think we don’t deserve to lose this game,” Aidil said. “We knew how strong Terengganu are, a quality team with quality players. “First half, our tactical plan didn’t really work, and we conceded again from a set

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Terengganu’s Diego Landis (left) and Kuching City’s Danial Asri fight for the ball during the Super League match on Friday. – BERNAMAPIC

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