Nehru Cup: Maldives 2 - 1 Syria: Maldives record first win against Syria

Male’, MALDIVES – Maldives record their first win against an Arab team in the Nehru Cup by defeating Syria by 2 -1. Ahmed Rasheed scored the winner in the dying minutes of the game. Earlier Ashfaaq scored a superb header to take the lead and Syra leveled from an acrobatic shot by Al Shibli.

The match was postponed almost for 75 minutes after heavy rain and due to the bad ground conditions.

Maldives got a golden opportunity in the 2nd minute of the game, after Ali Ashfaaq managed to skip past his defender and take a shot, but his shot went wide off the target.

In the 20th minute Syria created some dangerous attack, but failed to take a shot on target.

Ashfaaq was brought down after he passed the offside trap and Syrian defender was shown only a yellow card.

Assadhullah Abdullah dribbled past three defenders and took his shot, but he was a bit slow and Syrian goalkeeper managed to grab the ball.

In the 36th minute, Ashfaaq scored from a free kick, but linesman flagged it as an offside.

In the 46th minute, Assadhullah again took a shot inside the penalty area, but his shot was straight into keeper’s body and Ashfaaq did not manage to get the rebound ball.

In the 48th minute, Syrian striker got a golden opportunity to score after he beat Maldivian defender and Imran managed to punch it away.

A minute later, Abdul Jalaal managed to shoot from long distance, but his shot was straight into keeper Imran’s hand.

Ali Ashfaaq managed to dribble past the last defender, but Ashfaaq put a heavy touch on the ball, and it went out in the 54th minute.

Ali Ashfaaq scored from a superb header, from a free kick outside the penalty area in the 58th minute.

Assadhullah was substituted in the 71st minute and Ahmed Rasheed (Ammadey) was brought in.

In the 77th minute, Ammadey dribbled past the defender and took a cross, but it went straight into keeper’s hands.

A minute later, Al Shibli dribbled past the last defender and took a shot and keeper Umair dives to his right to punch it away.

Al Shibli scored from an acrobatic shot in the 80th minute, inside the penalty area to level the game. But the TV replays shows it’s an offside.

Yasir headed the ball inside the penalty area from a corner kick, but it goes wide off the target.

Imran saved a superb shot by Iranian striker after he was all left all alone inside the penalty area.

Ali Ashfaaq got a golden chance to score after he was all outside the penalty area, but Syrian keeper managed to get the ball.

Ahmed Rasheed scored the winner for Maldives in the 93rd minute after Ashfaaq crossed low into the penalty area.

Maldives coach was sent off to the specatators stand after several appeals.

It's the first win against Syrian side by the island nation team. Syria scored 12 goals against Maldives in 1997 in both the legs.