Li Ching of Hong Kong lost the best chance to earn a bronze as he lost to Andrej Gacina from the Europe United at the men's team consolation final of "Good Luck Beijing" International Table Tennis Invitational Tournament in Beijing on Wednesday.

Li Ching led 2-1 after three sets and almost seized the victory while he was leading 7-3 in the fourth set. But Gacina from Croatia came from behind to stop Hong Kong from winning the bronze.

Gacina beat Li Ching 8-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-8 in the do-or-die fourth duel.

In the previous games, Tiago Apolonia defeated Ko Lai Chak 11-7, 8-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-8 but his teammate Gacina lost to Tang Peng 11-9, 9-11, 9-11, 4-11.

Tang Peng, 25, was former Chinese national paddler and won men's team title in Asian Championship 2003 and was also singles runner-up at that tournament.

In the doubles, Li Ching paired Ko Lai Chak to roll over Vladimir Samsonov and Apolonia 11-9, 10-12, 11-9, 11-7.

In the deciding fifth match, three-time European champions Samsonov from Belarus seized an easy win over Tang Peng 11-5, 11-9, 10-12, 11-4 to make sure that the bronze went to Europe United.