India edge Maldives 1-0 at National Stadium as Dubey’s stoppage-time block secures SAFF semi spot
India beat Maldives 1-0 at the National Stadium on Wednesday to reach the SAFF Championship semifinals. Suhail Ahmad Bhat’s first-half penalty provided the only goal, while goalkeeper Priyansh Dubey produced a series of late saves to preserve the clean sheet.
The result concluded India’s Group B campaign with six points, leaving Pakistan second on three and Maldives without a point. The defending champions will face either Bangladesh, Bhutan or Sri Lanka in a semifinal scheduled for November 14; that opponent will be confirmed after the final Group A match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Head coach Naushad Moosa made seven changes from the side that beat Pakistan 3-2, retaining Abhishek Suryavanshi, Muhammed Uvais, Bhat and Ricky Shabong, and handing the starting goalkeeper role to Priyansh Dubey in place of Arsh Anwer Shaikh. Chinglensana Singh Konsham wore the captain’s armband after Bijoy Varghese left for New Zealand.
Bhat forced an early save from Maldives goalkeeper Hussain Shareef before opening the scoring from the penalty spot in the 38th minute. The penalty followed Abdul Rabeeh’s dispossession of defender Hussain Sifaau Yoosuf and Yoosuf’s foul on Rabeeh inside the area. Bhat sent Shareef the wrong way and placed his strike into the bottom-left corner.
The goal raised Bhat’s tournament total to three, having scored twice in India’s win over Pakistan; Manglenthang Kipgen had provided the other goal in that earlier match. Moosa refreshed his side after the interval, introducing Irfan Yadwad and Kipgen for Abdul Rabeeh and Nickson. Vishnu PV replaced Bhat in the 65th minute as India sought to manage their one-goal lead.
Maldives posed late problems, with Dubey denying Ali Hamdhaan’s free-kick in the 79th minute and then keeping out an attempt from Muzdhaan Hassan five minutes later. In stoppage time, Dubey rushed off his line to block a close-range effort from Ethan Ibrahim Zaki with his face, an intervention that maintained India’s clean sheet.
Those saves carried extra weight after India’s previous match, when they conceded twice in added time despite holding a three-goal lead before half-time; Moosa had urged improved concentration and game management following that performance. Against Maldives, the penalty by Bhat and Dubey’s late interventions ensured India advanced to the last four.
India’s semifinal opponent will be decided by the Group A finale between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, with the semifinal tie scheduled for November 14.