The women’s table tennis team failed the final and is fighting for bronze at the European Games

The Portugal women’s table tennis team lost 3-0 to Germany in the team semi-final of the European Games in Krakow 2023 this Friday, remaining in contention for the bronze medal on Saturday.

After a 3-2 win over Ukraine in the quarters at the Hutnik Arena, the Portuguese had a hard time dealing with one of the strongest teams in the world and left a podium challenge on Saturday against the underdog of the match between France and Romania.

Yeni Shao and Ines Matos opened the game with Xiaona Shan and Nina Mittelham, but they couldn’t put up much resistance, losing 3-0, with parts 11-5, 11-6 and 11-7, and in the last two they still balanced a little but only up to half points.

Fu Yu, 30th in the world rankings, faced Ying Han, ninth in the same hierarchy, who won by 11-6, 11-4, 6-11 and 11-7, a partial in which the 44-year-old the Portuguese arrived at the score was 6-6, but missed a few attacks and made it easier for the opponent.

More balance in the second singles match in which Zeni Shao, 44th, faced Xiaona Shan, 29th, trailing 7-11, 12-10, 13-15, in a partial in which he won 11-10 and lost game ball and 12-14, in which the Portuguese failed to keep the 9-8 lead she held.

In the afternoon, the men’s team will play with Germany, also in the semi-finals of the team standings.

At the European Games, Portugal won the men’s team gold in Baku 2019 and bronze in Minsk 2019, where Fu Yu won in singles.

In Krakow 2023, Markos Freitas took silver in the individual competition, keeping the tradition of table tennis alive and having achieved success in this competition.

Portugal won 13 podiums in Krakow 2023, including three golds, seven silvers and three bronzes.

The third European Games will take place until Sunday in Krakow and in the Polish region of Lesser Poland, with a program of 30 sports and 48 participating countries, including Portugal, with a delegation of more than two hundred athletes.