noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb
fight bravely; put up a good fight
Used when someone fights well against a stronger opponent, often despite losing. Common in sports, competitions, and metaphorical struggles.
わがチームは優勝候補に善戦した。
Our team fought bravely against the championship favorite.
彼は格上の相手に善戦
He put up a good fight against a higher-ranked opponent but lost by decision.