| A stylish win from Maldives
07 December 2005
Uploaded: 07.12.2005, 5:00 PM
Oppo before departing to SAFF championship
Male' Maldives - Maldives who was named as a 'minnow' by Pakistani coach, won their first ever clash with Afghanistan by a huge margin. In today's game Maldives showed a good attacking game and scored 9 goals, which made the highest score margin seen in this regional tournament.
Although Afghanistan started with a strong attack, Afghanistan lacked the momentum to continue the same spirit through out the match.
Maldives played with 3-4-3 formations with three strikers and two attacking midfielders. Maldives opened the goal in the 11th minute from Ali Umar. He was very sharp to put the ball into the net when Afghanistan's keeper failed to control the ball. The rebounced ball was sent straight to the corner of the net.
The players did not stop and started to pressurize more and as a result the second goal came in the 27th minute from a header by Fazeel (Oppo). And in the 32 nd minute Maldives best striker Ali Ashfaaq shot from his favourite left foot took the margin wider. The keeper had no chance to save the ball.
Maldives tried a lot to pressurize more with Oppo, Tom, Ali Umar and Ashfaaq. But Afghanistan came back when Naasir failed to defend a header. His jump was not timed and the ball felt on Basheer Sadha's foot to make the score 3-1.
A great run by Thoriq in the first minute of the extra time, provided a break through. He gave a pass to Ashfaaq and he inturn gave the ball to Oppo. He was very calm when he shot the ball in to the net.
The fifth goal came by a header by Thoriq, Ali Umar gave the pass received from central defender.
The first half ended with a 5-1 score margin.
The second half started again with another goal, this time from a corner. Ashfaaq with a lot of force took the shot at first but Afghanistan keeper punched it away Then, the rebounded ball was shot to the corner by Thoriq (Tom) in the first minute of the second half to make the score 6-1.
Maldives did not stop to settle for the score instead more pressure was mounted on Afghanistan's defense line. Specially Ashfaaq's terrific dribble was very dangerous but he could not finish the play.
Thoriq missed a golden opportunity in the 59th minute when he was to beat only the keeper,but his shot went wide.
Maldives again made their goal difference wider by a terrific header by Oppo in the 60th minute and made the first hat trick of the tournament. Goal keeper left with no choice to save the ball.
Maldives coach, Stoikov then replaced a midfielder for a midfielder. Shinan was substituted by ammatey. This change was inoder to give more chances to other players.
Later on the match got more physical and Maldivian players were taken off the pitch regularly.
Stoikov later brought a very big technical change by substituting Habeeb to replace Ali Umar. Tom and Ashfaq
Tom and Ashfaaq then played as the strikers and then habeeb played as an attacking midfielder.
Ashfaaq and Ali Umar have been playing in this season as a striker and the understanding with them was very good. But the change did not prove that Tom and Ashfaaq did not have any understanding.
Ashaaq had a very good move with very quick feet he took away from all defenders and then took away from the keeper and gave to Tom, who just braced it into the top corner.
Just after few seconds Ashfaaq made his tally to two in the 88th minute. Keeper had no reaction to the ball. It went to the top corner of the goal.
In the dying minutes of the second half, Imran saved a long chip which was punched over the cross bar. In the last minute an Afghanistan player's shot was straight to keeper Imran.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
GROUP A : Pakistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan
GROUP B : Bangladesh, India, Bhutan, Nepal
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