The ATM Guardians' perfect start to the 2021/22 Emas Anuar Sepak Takraw League season came to a shocking end against the Selangor Pistons on Saturday.
The league leaders, who had a perfect record of seven wins out of seven, looked on course to make it eight in a row when they led the first set 19-11 and 20-14 at the Titiwangsa Stadium.
However, with Zuhri Zain as tekong, Selangor mounted an unlikely comeback to take the first set 22-20.
The Guardians, seemingly shell-shocked by the unexpected first-set collapse, were second-best throughout the ensuing set and lost 14-21 to give the Pistons only their third win of the season.
Despite the defeat, ATM still maintained a two-point lead at the top as nearest challengers Kuala Lumpur Thunder and Penang Black Panthers also lost on the same day.
The Perak Bison upset the in-form Penang 21-10, 21-16 before the Putrajaya Cyborg halted the Thunder's five-game winning streak with an impressive 21-16, 13-21, 21-16 victory.
Despite playing one extra game, Putrajaya's win in particular now put them within a striking distance of league leaders ATM on the league table.
Meanwhile, the Johor Tigris clinched their second win of the season by beating fellow relegation rivals Bomba Fighters 22-20, 21-9 to boost their survival chances.
