相撲に勝って勝負に負ける

すもうにかってしょうぶにまける

expression

•

to lose despite being the better fighter, to win the battle but lose the war, to fail at the last moment, to win the sumo, but lose the match(idiom )

相	inter-, mutual, together, each other, minister of state, councillor, aspect, phase, physiognomy
撲	slap, strike, hit, beat, tell, speak
勝	victory, win, prevail, excel
負	defeat, negative, -, minus, bear, owe, assume a responsibility