Peng Luyang saved four match points to help underdog Shandong nail down Asian champion Hong Kong Special Administrative Region 3-2 and make the semifinals in the women's table tennis team event on Thursday.

Peng turned the table around by grabbing the only match point to beat Zhang Rui, 6-11, 12-14, 11-5, 11-6, 14-12.

Shandong leveled every time when trailing by 1-0 and 2-1 as Peng also beat Tie Yana 3-0 on the second outing.

"It's not bad to enter the top eight. The domestic competitionis more difficult (than the internationals)," said Hong Kong's coach Hui Jun, who led the team to the title at the regional championships last month in South Korea.

Shandong will take on semi-final opponent of Hebei, who disposed off Tianjin 3-2.

Both top favorites Beijing and Liaoning needed the maximum games to topple down their opponents, setting up a matchup in the semi-finals.

World No.1 peddler Zhang Yining lost one game but Beijing managed a 3-2 win over Jiangsu, while Liaoning came back from 2-1 down to beat Hubei.

There was no much surprise in the men's team event as Guangdong,Jiangsu, Shanghai and the Chinese Army advanced.

Guangdong cracked down Heilongjiang 3-0 to face the Chinese Army, who oust Tianjin 3-1.

World No. 1 Wang Liqin lost the first game, but Shanghai recovered with three straight wins on the following games to beat Sichuan 3-1.

Jiangsu is to meet Shanghai after a 3-1 win over Liaoning.