to regain a little face
ここのregain a little faceはどのような意味でしょうか。Astroriverくん、どうぞ。
Sumo: Hakuho makes new record, wins ninth title with no loss on final day
Yokozuna Hakuho established a new gold standard at the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament by sending rival Harumafuji to the dirt to win his final match on March 24 and mark an unprecedented ninth perfect 15-0 finish.
Harumafuji, who had a perfect run in January but has been off target this time, drove Hakuho all the way to the brink following the initial clash and looked like he just might be able to regain a little face after bombing out of the title race with five losses going into the final showdown.
But his momentum didn't last long. Hakuho--the stronger of the two--lured him into a grappling duel then unceremoniously shoved him off his feet.
Hakuho had already secured the championship title--his 24th--when he won his 13th bout on March 22. That in itself was quite a feat. The championship means the 28-year-old is tied with the former yokozuna Kitanoumi for the fourth-most titles ever. But Hakuho's bigger goal was to get the coveted perfect finish, an achievement he had accomplished a record-matching eight times before.
His win against Harumafuji puts him in uncharted territory. Yokozuna legends Taiho and Futabayama both had eight perfect tournaments.
