The Maldives has won the men’s division of the inaugural SAFF Futsal Championship after defeating Bhutan 3–1 in the fifth match of the tournament.
The victory confirms Maldives as champions with one match still remaining, having won all of their matches so far in the competition.
The match was played at the Nonthaburi Stadium in Bangkok. In the first half, both teams created several attacking opportunities. Bhutan adopted a defensive approach with counter-attacks, while Maldives maintained an attacking style of play.
Bhutan took the lead in the 12th minute of the first half, with Jigmey Tsultrim scoring the opening goal.
The goal appeared to motivate the Maldivian side, who continued to press forward and managed to equalise before the break. Abdulla Junaid (Jenney) scored Maldives’ first goal with a three-point shot from the edge of the box. The teams went into half-time level.
Maldives took the lead just two minutes into the second half. Ahmed Hameed (Ammadey), converted a free kick near the penalty area following a foul by Bhutanese players.
Maldives extended their lead in the 16th minute of the second half, scoring their third goal to secure the win.
With 15 points from five matches, Maldives are now uncatchable at the top of the standings. Second-placed Pakistan have 10 points from five matches and can reach a maximum of 13 points with a win in their remaining fixture.
Third-placed Nepal have eight points from five matches and can reach a maximum of 11 points if they win their final match.
As a result, Maldives have secured the SAFF Futsal Championship title with one match still to play.
The Maldives played their first international futsal match on 16 April 2004. Despite facing numerous challenges over the years, the team has achieved this milestone 17 years later, marking a historic moment for Maldivian futsal.