U17 WAC Q: Malaysia Maintain Perfect Record
Malaysia’s National Women’s Under-17 squad continued their brilliant momentum in the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers, delivering a dominant 4-0 victory over Iraq in their second Group E match.
Following a hard-fought 1-0 win against Syria in their campaign opener, the Young Tigresses took to the pitch with clear attacking intent. Qistina Fais wore the captain’s armband for this fixture, while Lim You and Qaseh Riana spearheaded Malaysia's frontline. Iraq, looking to recover from a heavy 14-0 defeat to India in their opening game, once again entrusted Asmaa Shivan to guard their goal.
The match opened with energetic end-to-end play as both sides looked to establish early control. However, sharp defensive alertness and solid positioning on both ends kept the scoreline even in the opening exchanges.
Malaysia broke the deadlock in the 19th minute. Off a pinpoint corner kick delivered by Nissriena Batrissya, Aisyah Nur Iman pounced on the opportunity to slot the ball into the net, handing Malaysia a 1-0 lead.
Energized by the opener, Malaysia doubled down on their attack in search of a second goal. Iraqi goalkeeper Asmaa Shivan produced several crucial saves to deny the Malaysian forwards and keep her team within touching distance.
However, Malaysia’s relentless pressure paid off just before the halftime whistle. In the closing minutes of the first period, Lim You delivered a precise pass to Qaseh Riana, who finished with composure to send the squad into the break with a comfortable 2-0 lead.
Malaysia made strategic tactical substitutions at the start of the second half, introducing lethal forward Keisha Adeliena to add extra bite to the attacking lineup and stretch the Iraqi defense.
The Young Tigresses maintained absolute control of possession and tempo. In the 58th minute, Lim You turned from provider to goalscorer, executing a delightful lob over the Iraqi goalkeeper to extend Malaysia's advantage to 3-0.
Sensing an opportunity to seal a emphatic victory, Malaysia continued to press high and trap Iraq inside their own half. The final highlight arrived in the 88th minute when substitute Aisha Lynn unleashed a thunderous long-range strike from outside the penalty box, beating the goalkeeper to cap off the scoreline at 4-0.
The 4-0 victory marks Malaysia’s second consecutive win and clean sheet in Group E following their opening 1-0 triumph over Syria.
With two wins from two games, Malaysia now sets its sights on the final and decisive Group E showdown against India, where a spot in the main tournament of the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup will be up for grabs.
Credit Photo : Simon Yap/SNE-Photo
