Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Thiruvananthapuram: Ali Ashfaq was at his inspirational best on Thursday as he guided Maldives to a 3-1 win over Bhutan in their opening Group B game of the 2015 SAFF (South Asian Football Federation) Championship.
It took the Maldives just eight minutes to break the deadlock at the Trivandrum International Stadium when Ahmed Imaz made no mistake in finding the back of the net, after being picked out by captain Ashfaq’s glorious over-the-top pass.
But against the run of play, Bhutan equalised in the 19th minute as Tshering Dorji reacted quickest to pounce on a loose ball after Chencho Gyeltshen’s initial effort had been blocked, and proceeded to curl a low shot home.
The Maldivians were able to respond a minute after the half-hour mark after Asadhulla Abdulla struck from a corner to ensure his side went in at the break leading on the scoreboard.
And in the 66th minute, Ashfaq – Maldives’ all-time top scorer – made sure of the win when he picked up possession outside the area before scoring with an unstoppable strike to make it 3-1.
With the three points, Maldives, who are looking to repeat their title success of 2008, are in an excellent position to advance to the semi-finals for the eighth successive edition of the SAFF Championship.
Photo: Lagardère Sports