KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian hero Danny Chia has waved a proverbial "red flag" in the face of EurAsia Cup rival Ian Poulter after being informed he would face off with the Englishman during the opening match of the deciding Sunday Singles in Kuala Lumpur.
The Asian Team need to win nine and half one points from the 12 points up for grabs on the last day to claim an improbable victory at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club in the Malaysian capital.
Their cause was not helped when the Darren Clarke captained Europeans stormed from a three point overnight lead to win four of the Saturday Fourball encounters, halved another and lost just one to their Asian rivals.
It handed the European Team a 9 - 3 leading advantage in the second staging of the biennial event.
On Sunday, Chia will face Poulter in the opening match.
The 42-year old Malaysian lives in Kuala Lumpur and has won twice on the Asian Tour while securing one other victory last year to cement his place in the Asian Team.
However, when Chia was asked what he thought about going up against his 40-year old English-born opponent -- a winner of 12 European Tour victories and veteran of five Ryder Cup's -- he brushed off his rival.
"Ian who? Ian who? " said Chia smiling.
"It's match play so it doesn't matter. I don't care who it is. If he hits a bad shot, it's still a bad shot.
"So it doesn't matter if it's Ian Poulter.
"As I say, you know, I just have to hit it decent, we have a fighting chance. So it doesn't matter who I play."
Asian Team captain Jeev Milka Singh admitted his inexperienced squad have an uphill task to deny the visiting Europeans.
"You know, when your back is against the wall, the only way is up, or you've just got to push yourself," said Singh.
"There's no other option for our team."
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