After the thumping 6-2 win over Tajikistan in the opening match, National Under-16 coach Lim Teong Kim was basking in the glory and heaped praises for the big win.
That match also saw Malaysia’s first choice goalkeeper Sikh Izhan Nazrel red-carded for a blatant foul on Tajikistan striker Soirov Rustam late in the second half but the impressive win and four goals by Luqman Hakim Shamsudin made up for the sacking.
On Sunday it was another red card and this time it was Luqman who got the sack also for rough play but this time in defeat. So someone should take the blame and it the referee who is under fire from Teong Kim.
With his sack, Malaysia’s lost the bite and with reserve goalkeeper Abdul Alim Al Imri Ali a bundle of nerves and was responsible for two of the goals Thailand scored.
Abdul Alim’s reading of the game was poor overall and he should also be blamed for the defeat.
Teong Kim found a scapegoat in referee Omar Mohamed Ahmed Hassan for the defeat to the Thais – a defeat which has seriously jeopardized Malaysia’s hopes of playing in next year’s Under-17 World Cup in Peru.
The four semi-finalists in the AFC Championships will be Asia’s flag bearers in Peru and Malaysia is targeting one of the spots.
“The referee killed us when we were tied 2-2. You can watch the video…it is definitely not a red card. It probably could have been a yellow or no card at all,” said Teong Kim at a post-match conference.
“We could have won if not for the red card.”
Thailand scored as early as the third minute through Suphanat Muenata and the Thai added a second in the 21st minute. Each time Malaysia came back to make it 1-1 through Luqman (9th) and Firdaus Kaironnisam (48th penalty).
However, with Luqman sent off for an early shower the Thais rode on the poor goalkeeping by Abdul Alim and added two more to their tally through Waragon Thongbai (67th) and Tanarin Thumsen (85th). – BYÂ RIZAL ABDULLAH
