Valencia beat FVD to reach top

Mukhthar (L) scored twice in Valencia's comfortable win

Male', MALDIVES - With only two games left to play in round one of ongoing Dhiraagu Dhivehi League, Valencia reached the top spot with the courtesy of better goal difference, thanks to their five goals to nil win over Foundation for Vilufushi Development (FVD) today. After a heart broken first half, Valencia started their goal scoring fiesta in the second half and did not rest their weapons until the last whistle.

Mukhthar Naseer and Faruhad each scored twice and Felix who appeared with a minor injury added one to rule the eight team table for the first time.

FVD missed their first chance in the fourth minute; Jeribe’s shot missed the target by inches.

FVD, who were without first team keeper Fathee for suspension, handed over the glove to Hassan Inaz and Valencia couldn’t trouble the new comer that much in the first half.

But the second period of the game was different and Valencia found a fracture from Inaz and four out of five of their goals were scored sending the ball over the keeper.

Before Valencia started their scoring FVD failed to take full advantage for an indirect free kick awarded to them inside Valencia half. Keeper Rameez took a back pass and that resulted in awarding the indirect free kick against them and Jeribe’s shot was blocked by Valencia’s defensive wall.

Valencia took the lead from Mukthar’s 59th minute goal, where he beat Dumba Michael to score the opener.

In the 64th minute Faruhadh scored from a long range shot. A shot in the middle of FVD half went over the keeper and with a little help from the cross bar the ball crossed the line.

In the 72nd minute, Inaz saved a powerful shot from Azim and the rebounded ball fell into Felix who sent the ball over the cross bar.

Three minutes later Mukhthar scored his second of the day sending the ball over the keeper to the far corner.

Two minutes passed Valencia’s third goal, Felix was on target for the first time in the game. Felix scored his goal in the 77th minute in a similar fashion to Mukhthar’s second goal.

After the match Valencia coach (Binma) Abdullah Waheed said he is satisfied that they have taken full points from the game but suspects some of his players were too careless indicating that they could have scored more goals in the first half.

"Our main target was to get three points and we did it. Over all, I am satisfied with the players' performance as well"

"Some of the key players have been careless and they should improve it. We lost several chances today and they could have scored more"

Binma’s opponent number Lirqam Saeed also said he is satisfied with the performance showed by his players and added that their problem today was to come out without their first team keeper. He also noted the players’ concentration goes down as the match progresses to the end.

“The boys' played really well and I am happy with that. The only problem was we did not have a goal keeper. They could not score a planned neat goal today. It was the mistakes of the goal keeper”

"The players' seems to loose their concentration right at the end of the game and it has made us suffer a lot. We should change that attitude in the upcoming games”

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