KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian men's badminton squad came back from the dead to score a superb 3-2 win over the Loh Kean Yew-led Singapore to reach the men's team final at the Hanoi Sea Games today.
Penang-born Kean Yew, the reigning men's singles world champion, had earlier put his team ahead when he made easy work of 20-year-old Jacky Kok, with a comfortable 21-12, 21-12 win in just 37 minutes.
Kean Yew's older brother Kean Hean and his other Penang-born partner Terry Hee doubled the lead for Singapore when they outplayed the scratch combination of Wan Arif Wan Junaidi-Man Wei Chong 21-19, 21-13.
But that was as far as Singapore went. Lee Shun Yang got the comeback rolling when he fought tooth and nail before securing a 21-12, 21-23, 21-16 win over Jason Teh.
The score was levelled at 2-2, when Malaysia's second scratch combination Chen Tang Jie-Haikal Nazri saw off seasoned shuttlers Danny Bawa Chrisnanta-Andy Kwek 21-15, 21-17.
In the deciding match, 21-year-old Shaqeem Eiman Shahyar turned Malaysia's hero when he upset Joel Koh 21-10, 21-17 at the Bac Giang Gymnasium, sending Malaysia to their third consecutive Sea Games final.
Malaysia will face Thailand next for the gold. The Thais had earlier dethroned former champions Indonesia 3-2 in the semi-finals.