Piala Srikandi Merdeka: Lim You’s Name Becomes the Talk After Netting 7 Goals in Match Against Saudi Arabia

KUALA LUMPUR: The name of national young player, Lim You, became the talk of the town after displaying an outstanding performance by scoring seven goals to help the Malayan Tigress Under-17 (U-17) team thrash Saudi Arabia 9-0 in the Piala Srikandi Merdeka 2026 match at Super Soccer Arena, Kudus, Indonesia on Tuesday.

The 14-year-old player emerged as the main character in the stylish victory of Fairuz Montana Zainal Abidin’s charges, thus bringing Malaysia to the semi-finals of the prestigious tournament.

In fact, the big win over Saudi Arabia also saw the Malayan Tigress accompany the hosts, Garuda Pertiwi, into the top four teams after displaying a dominant performance throughout the 90 minutes of play.

Lim only needed eight minutes to open the scoring before continuing her rampage by adding two more goals in the 22nd and 27th minutes to complete a hat-trick in the first half.

The striker of Malaysian-American heritage did not slow down her pace after the break as she continued to be a nightmare for the Saudi Arabian defence.

With exceptional finishing sharpness, Lim added four more goals including from a penalty kick to complete a double hat-trick in the 83rd minute, before gifting her seventh personal goal when five minutes remained.

The extraordinary performance also caught the attention of regional football observers as the record of scoring seven goals in a single official match is an achievement rarely recorded, especially in international competitions.

Two other goals for Malaysia in the match were contributed by Mia Alysa and Ku Nur Qaleysha, thus completing the most stylish victory for the national team in the tournament.

What is more encouraging, the success was achieved despite Malaysia having to play with 10 players from the 21st minute after national striker, Dishanna Nagarajan Pillay was shown a red card.

However, the lack of a player did not at all affect the Malayan Tigress’s game pattern as they continued to dominate the match and create chance after chance until the final whistle.

Besides possessing speed and agile movement in attack, Lim also showcased the ability to strike powerfully with her left foot, including several long-range goals and one impressive free kick.

Media reports described her achievement as the first time a Malaysian female player has scored seven goals in a single official international match, thus etching her name in the record books at such a young age.

The big win over Saudi Arabia saw Malaysia finish Group A in second place based on goal difference advantage, sharing four points with Hong Kong, thus confirming their slot to the semi-finals in style.

With the current form displayed by Lim and her teammates, the Malayan Tigress are now seen to be on the best track to continue their challenge in chasing the Piala Srikandi Merdeka 2026 title.

Sinar Harian