Suhail Ahmad Bhat penalty sends India into SAFF semifinals as group winners
India beat Maldives 1-0 at the National Stadium in Dhaka on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, with a 38th-minute penalty by Suhail Ahmad Bhat deciding the match in the final Group B game of the SAFF Championship. Goalkeeper Priyansh Dubey produced a series of late saves to preserve the clean sheet and confirm India’s place in the semifinals as Group B toppers.
The defending champions completed the group stage with six points, finishing ahead of Pakistan, who ended on three points, while Maldives left the group without any points. India’s last Group B fixture was played at the National Stadium in Dhaka, and the team’s result ensured they topped the section. The semifinal opponent will be settled by the remaining Group A fixture.
Head coach Naushad Moosa named seven changes to the side that beat Pakistan 3-2, retaining Abhishek Suryavanshi, Muhammed Uvais, Suhail Ahmad Bhat and Ricky Shabong. Priyansh Dubey replaced Arsh Anwer Shaikh in goal for this match. Chinglensana Singh Konsham wore the captain’s armband after Bijoy Varghese departed for New Zealand.
India tested Maldives early, with Bhat forcing a near-post stop from Hussain Shareef before the penalty arrived. The spot-kick followed an incident in the box when Abdul Rabeeh dispossessed Hussain Sifaau Yoosuf and was brought down by the defender; Bhat sent Shareef the wrong way and placed the ball into the bottom-left corner. The goal took Bhat’s tournament tally to three following his first-half brace in India’s win over Pakistan; Manglenthang Kipgen had scored India’s other goal in that match.
Irfan Yadwad and Manglenthang Kipgen were introduced at half-time, replacing Abdul Rabeeh and Nickson respectively, while Vishnu PV came on for Bhat in the 65th minute. Those changes adjusted India’s shape as they managed the second half.
Dubey made a series of late interventions, saving Ali Hamdhaan’s free-kick in the 79th minute and denying Muzdhaan Hassan five minutes later. His most notable stop came in stoppage time when he rushed out and blocked Ethan Ibrahim Zaki’s close-range attempt with his face, preserving the 1-0 scoreline. Moosa had urged better concentration and game management after India conceded twice in added time against Pakistan, a match that had ended nervously despite India establishing a three-goal lead before the interval.
India will meet either Bangladesh, Bhutan, or Sri Lanka in the SAFF Championship semifinals on November 14; the exact opponent will be confirmed after the final Group A match between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka later on Wednesday.