Sign of progress

National youth coach Ong Kim Swee brushed off criticism of the national Under-23's involvement at the World University Games by pointing to his side's historic quarter-final achievement as a sign of progress.

The under-strength squad, decimated by injury to a number of key players even before arriving in Kazan, Russia, has had three players red carded while two others have also been laid low by injury.

 Malaysia reached the last-eight, where they meet a rampant Japan team today, by finishing second in the three-team Group C after Italy beat Great Britain 1-0