Malaysia's U-17 women's team thrashes Jordan 4-0 to claim third place

Malaysia's U-17 women's football team bounced back with a commanding 4-0 victory over Jordan to claim third place in the Merdeka Srikandi Cup. The win at Supersoccer Arena marked a strong finish for the team after a semifinal disappointment.

Fairuz Montana Zainal Abidin's squad took an early lead in the first minute when a Jordan defender scored an own goal. The Malaysian team controlled the game, and 14-year-old Lim You extended their advantage in the 39th minute, scoring her fifth goal of the tournament to give Malaysia a 2-0 lead at halftime. You had previously scored seven goals in Malaysia's 9-0 rout of Saudi Arabia.

Five minutes into the second half, Keisha Adeliena converted a penalty in the 50th minute after a foul in the box. Jordan attempted to reduce the deficit, but Malaysia's defense held firm. Isabella O’Luanaigh sealed the emphatic win with a goal in injury time, securing a clean sheet.

The victory earned Malaysia the bronze medal. Their campaign in Kudus saw them finish second in Group A, with a 0-0 draw against Hong Kong, a 3-0 loss to hosts Indonesia, and a 9-0 thrashing of Saudi Arabia. Despite a 5-1 defeat to Thailand in the semifinals, the young Malaysian squad ended the tournament on a high note.