Poor lighting in Sugathadhasa stadium - a major blow

(IMG:http://maldivesoccer.net/v4/images/5cba5c0803bfacd2e63ce4fca0c81d22.jpg)

Male', MALDIVES - SAFF championship 2008 co-hosts Sri Lanka now faces a hard time answering the questions of how well they are prepared to host one of the biggest football event of the region. This is the first time in tournament’s five year history that two nations host the event.

Early in the tournament Sri Lanka, one of the top nations in world cricket, hits a major blow when the first game of group B between Bangladesh and Bhutan was forced to be stopped for more than fifteen minutes due to no lighting in the stadium.

The Sri Lankan Football Federation didn’t switch on the lighting system in the stadium even when players of both the sides had a hard time to play around in the dark environment. Then match referee signaled to stop the game after discussion with his assistants and both Bangladesh and Bhutan players got more than fifteen minutes to rest their legs.

Officials from both team’s bench showed frustration towards the organizers and the match resumed with a lighting believed to be at the minimum standard to hold an AFC licensed course.

There are also reports of poor advertising of the tournament in Colombo and surrounding areas.

The opening ceremony of this year’s SAFF championship was held in Male’, Maldives last night and the final match will be played in Colombo. But with the type of lighting provided in the Sugathadhasa stadium today, it is obvious the finalists will not be very happy to risk the game.

At the moment there is no comment from tournament organizer, World Sports Group, about the condition in Colombo. But some believed they must review the situation well before the final match.

Sri Lanka and Bangladesh face shocking start

(IMG:http://maldivesoccer.net/v4/images/6f4ceef551577110cfd3e58019bd4195.jpg)


Colombo, SRI LANKA - Group B favorites Bangladesh and Sri Lanka started 5th SAFF championship with a shocking draw against ‘pre tournament minnows’ Bhutan and Afghanistan respectively. In the first game Bangladesh was held to a 1-1 draw and later Afghanistan grabbed a 2-2 draw against co-hosts.

Bangladesh’s jersey number 2 took the lead from a cross, which was deflected off a Bhutan defender and hit the vertical bar before crossing the goal line.

But it was Bhutan who kept on pressuring the Bangladesh throughout the game. Bhutan executed two early shots in the game and before the half ends, Bhutan even hit the crossbar in one attempt.

Midway through the second half, Bhutan leveled the game when Bangladesh defenders failed to clear the ball from the box. Unmarked Nima Sangath fired home the equalizer couple of feet away from the six yard box.

In the second game, Afghanistan shocked the well prepared co-hosts Sri Lanka in front of thousands of home supporters.

Sri Lankan defenders fouled on the edge of their penalty area to stop the very first attempt of the war toned nation. Habib took the responsibility of the free kick and made no mistake, keeper Thilakratne had a slight touch on the ball before it hits the net.

But in the next minute, Chathura leveled the game for Sri Lanka from a shot outside Afghan penalty area.

In the 14th minute Sri Lanka found the back of the net, but the assistant referee signaled for an offside.

Before the half ends, Sri Lanka went close to find the lead but Channa’s powerful shot inside the box was only on target to the side net.

Four minutes into second half Afghanistan’s Jamalludin gave the visitors the lead and put Sri Lanka under pressure.

Just half an hour passed second half, a penalty was awarded to Sri Lanka and Channa scored comfortably.

Five minutes before full time, Afghanistan could have taken the lead but jersey number 7’s shot after beating two Sri Lanka defenders was not a problem for Thilakratne.

The 2-2 draw means four teams in group B are level in points and Sri Lanka and Afghanistan lead with better goal scoring rate.

India will meet arch rivals Pakistan tomorrow in Male’ in their second game of the tournament. And Maldives will meet Nepal at night.

India started the campaign with a comfortable 4-0 win over Nepal yesterday and at night co-hosts Maldives easily outclassed Pakistan by 3-0.

yaa maldives rocks .... mie hama aharumenge faharu (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)

thi bunee hama thedhe,, eyy maldives kon iraku tha ehaa molhu vee?? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

yea dhoo...they are new spirited and awesome...they rule....4 -1 against nepal.. gadha gadha....so maldives are the top of this group right?

Maldives 4 - 1 Nepal: Host cruise to the semi final

(IMG:http://maldivesoccer.net/v4/images/05823ab9349b8c4b9c69be2528098a5b.jpg)

Male', MALDIVES - Co-hosts Maldives reached their fifth SAFF championship semi final in the tournament’s five edition history. Maldives brushed aside Nepal by 4-1 in tonight’s game where Ismail Mohamed and Ibrahim Fzeel, both scored twice. Maldives and defending champions India’s entry into the semi final confirmed Pakistan and Nepal are out with one game remaining.

Nepal was the better team at the start but it was the home side that broke the deadlock in the 10th minute. Ismail found space to find the target after a neat play from Ashfaag.

But in the next minute Nepal shocked a nation in red through Vishad’s powerful shot from left side of the box, Imran dived but couldn’t reach the ball that went straight into the far corner.

Two minutes past half an hour, Ashfaag headed a cross from Mukhthar but the attempt was off the target.

In the 39th minute, Ibrahim Fazeel’s header inside the six yard box was only on target to the crossbar.

Three minutes before half time, a weak shot from Thoriq outside Nepal penalty area was too easy for the keeper.

At the stroke of first half, a well executed low cross forced Imran to go in full stretch to punch the ball away.

Maldives took only a minute in the second half to restore the lead, as Ashfaag sent the ball to Ismail on the edge of Nepal penalty area. Ismail beat the defender and sent the ball to the far corner to make it 2-1.

In the 49th minute Mukhthar received the through ball from Assad but his shot missed the target nearly and went across the goal.

A minute later Ibrahim Fazeel in front of the goal received a nice low cross from Ashfaag, who entered the opponent’s box beating two markers, Fazeel finished it comfortably.

In the 53rd minute Nepal strikers penetrated the defense of Maldives but inform Ismail cleared the danger.

A minute later Nepal’s Jumanu Rai sent a good shot from the left side of Maldives penalty area but Imran handled it well.

Maldives then went forward and pressured the under pressure Nepal through powerful shots from Ashfaag and Fazeel, but the duo’s efforts did not hit the target.

In the 61st minute Ashfaag passed the ball to unmarked Ibrahim Fazeel, the Victory striker pulled the trigger outside Nepal penalty area and the cross bar provided a little help sending the ball into the net. Only half an hour to go Maldives took a comfortable 4-1 lead.

In the 64th minute, Nepal’s Niranjan's aerial ball was punched away by keeper Imran.

In the next minute Ashfaag took a shot from the right edge of Nepal penalty area but the effort missed the target by inches.

In the 66th minute Ahmed Thoriq went deep into opponent’s defense and took the shot from the left but was on target to the side net.

In the 69th minute Mukthar once again beat his marker and provided the cross from the right wing but opponent’s defender headed the ball into a corner before it reaches unmarked Ismail.

Ismail Mohamed sent a well timed cross from the left wing in the 72nd minute and unmarked Thoriq shot at once but keeper punched the ball, which was on target to the top corner, away to a corner.

Jankech rested his best weapon, Ashfaag, in the 74th minute and introduced experienced Ali Umar.

Two minutes later Ismail, who scored two goals, was substituted and brought in Shamveel Gasim.

In the 77th minute, Bijaya penetrated the home defense but shot the ball over the crossbar.

In the 81st minute Jumanu Rai went close to earn their second goal but his shot hits the side net.

A minute later on the other hand, Thoriq tried from Ali Umar’s cross but the ball went across the goal.

Dying minutes of second half, Nepal's Niranjan's shot outside the box only hit the crossbar.

Maldives 0 - 1 India: Unlucky hosts
(IMG:http://maldivesoccer.net/v4/images/92bfaec05edc36a419c0f7366520e4ea.jpg)
Indian players celebrate winning goal. India won by 1-0

Male', MALDIVES - Defending champions India beat Maldives 1-0 in their last group stage game played here in Male’ tonight. India took the lead in the first half through Goumangi, but it was the home side that played better and created numerous chances in the second half. It was only the luck that didn’t help the men in red in another night where the supporters were outstanding.

In the 5^th minute Imran punched away a cross from India from the left wing.

In the 14^th minute Goumangi broke the deadlock heading the cross on the goal line.

Two minutes later Maldives’ corner kick was cleared by Deepak from the goal line.

Maldives was awarded a free kick on the edge of India penalty area in the 21^st minute. But Indian keeper punched away Ashfaag’s well executed free kick.

Five minutes before half an hour, Ibrahim Fazeel’s effort inside the six yard box was cleared to a corner by opponent defenders.

In the 32^nd minute Imran was forced to do well to save Abishek’s back header inside Maldives penalty area.

Four minutes later Ahmed Thoriq couldn’t chest the ball well and collides with Indian keeper and forced to withdraw from the game due to injury.

Five minute before half time, Renedey’s free kick outside Maldives penalty area was inches away from the goal.

At the stroke of first half, Deepak Modial was unmarked inside Maldives area when he received the ball but fired the shot high and wide.

Thirteen minutes into second half, Ashfaag crosses a good one from the left wing that was off the target by inches.

A minute later Mukhthar passed the ball to Ashfaag on the edge of India penalty area, but Ashifaag’s powerful left footed shot was again off the target.

India went down to 10 men in the 62^nd minute when Samir Naik was given the marching orders for a second yellow.

In the 65^th minute Ashfaag above everyone to head Ismail’s cross but his powerful header went above the cross bar.

In the next minute Ashfaag passed the ball to Jameel, who was on a run towards the goal, but his shot outside the penalty area was saved by the keeper.

In the 70^th minute Ahmed Saeed provided a well time cross into the six yard box but Shamveel couldn’t reach.

A minute later a series of attacks inside the box was blocked by Indian defender and the last one from Ismail only hit the vertical bar.

In the 74^th minute Ali Umar back heeled Mukhthar Naseer’s corner but Sobah’s header went out nearly.

Five minutes later Steven Dias fired a powerful shot from the right edge of Maldives penalty area, but keeper Imran parried the ball away to a corner.

Just five minutes before full time skipper Assad’s header missed the target.

Two minutes to go, Mukhthar passed the ball to unmarked Ismail, but his weak shot wasn’t a problem for the keeper.


Even in the extra period of the game, Maldives created chances to find the equalizer but the lady luck wasn’t on their side.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) i was hoping they would score as they did quite well in 2nd half...
damn those thiruvananthapooram people (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sleep.gif)

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/hehehe.gif) ppsps den india bench araa fa oi iru ves lade nujehunu pakaaaaaaaaaas

maldives rox

maldives won (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bludfhsh.gif)