JAKARTA, Aug 25 — National Under-23 football squad head coach Datuk Ong Kim Swee said key defender Dominic Tan should not be faulted for Malaysia’s 0-1 loss to Japan in the last 16 round of the Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games football competition at the Patriot Chandrabhaga Stadium yesterday.

Japan were awarded a penalty in the 88th minute when Dominic brought down their striker in the box. Ayase Ueda converted and it cost Malaysia a spot in the quarter-finals.

Kim Swee defended the action taken by the Johor Darul Ta’zim 2 (JDT ll) player saying it was to save the situation but turned out to be unfortunate.

"He Dominic should not be made the scapegoat because he had performed admirably throughout the competition here,” he told Bernama after the match.

Malaysia had topped Group E in the preliminary round had even scalped South Korea 2-1. — Bernama