India’s Under-17 women only needed a draw in Selayang, and they beat Malaysia 4-0 to reach the 2027 Asian Cup

Malaysia had won their first two games as well, so Sunday night in Selayang decided Group E, and only the group winner goes through. India needed a draw. They won 4-0, and finished the qualifiers with nine points, 20 goals and nothing conceded.

Puddles, and a goalkeeper in form

It had rained heavily during the day, and by the 9pm local kick-off (6:30pm IST) the pitch at the MP Selayang Stadium was slushy, with water standing in places. The ball kept stopping dead, which made quick passing hard work.

India still had most of the ball. Malaysia’s goalkeeper, Putri Aina Husna Mohd Subri, made a string of saves in the first half, and Nira Chanu Longjam headed against the bar. The breakthrough came just before the half-hour, when Redima Devi Chingkhamayum took a pass from Silky Devi Sorokhaibam and hit a right-footed shot from distance into the middle of the net.

Three more after the break

Pritika Barman came on at half-time and doubled the lead six minutes after the restart, driving in a low shot once Anushka Kumari had squared it to her. Anushka got the third herself. An Indian corner was cleared to her, and her long-range shot dipped in at the near post. It was her eighth goal of the qualifiers, after five against Iraq and two against Syria.

The fourth was the best of the lot. Nidhi, another substitute, set off from about 25 yards out, got past three defenders, went round the goalkeeper and finished into an empty net. The AIFF said it was her first international goal.

Malaysia barely threatened. Munni, in goal, had to come for the ball only a couple of times, with captain Abhista Basnett and Julan Nongmaithem in front of her at centre-back.

China again, in March

This is a second U17 Women’s Asian Cup in a row for India. At the 2026 edition earlier this year, they reached the quarter-finals and lost 3-0 to China. The AIFF says no Indian women’s team, at any age level including the senior side, had qualified for back-to-back Women’s Asian Cups before.

The 2027 tournament is in China from March 31 to April 17. The eight qualifying group winners join the four sides already through: the hosts, the holders North Korea, Japan and Australia. Joakim Alexandersson’s group won three games by an aggregate of 20-0 to get there, and they will get nothing like that much room against Japan or North Korea.

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