SAFF Cup: Maldives beat Bhutan 3-1, Afghanistan hammer Bangladesh 4-0

Bangladesh made the early exit from the South Asian football tournament losing to the Maldives by 1-3 goals and conceding a humiliating 0-4 goals defeat against defending champion Afghanistan.

In an inconsequential match played earlier in the day, Bangladesh beat a 10-man Bhutan 3-0.

The Noida-born player was in scintillating form for the Indian Super League franchise Delhi Dynamos as he scored four goals for them in thirteen appearances. The first semifinal will pit Maldives against India.

Even though Bangladesh won, they crashed out of the tournament along with Bhutan.

Playing with freedom, Bangladesh was up and running in the eighth minute when Topu Barman headed in the opening goal following a corner.

Hari Gurung denied Rony in the 40th and Gyeltshen had a chance to reduce the lead in the 44th minute but the striker couldn’t control the ball inside the box. Ashfaq stepped up and smashed the ball into the net with tremendous power to give his side the lead. Omid Popalzay struck twice, the first being a sumptuous freekick, after captain Faysal Shayesteh had opened the scoring with neat finish in the 20th minute.

At half time, Maldives were ahead 2-1.

India, who topped Group A, now play Maldives in the semifinal on December 31, while Group B winners Afghanistan take on Sri Lanka – who finished runners-up in Group A – in the other semifinal on the same day.

The Afghan team is likely to make it to the final of the SAFF Suzuki Cup having reviewed the performance of the Sri Lank which includes 2 game in Group A with 1 Win and 1 Loss, having 3 points as the victor and situated second in the same Group, below the Runner-Up India which has 6 points with 2 wins and no losses.

The restart resulted in Afghanistan launching a series of attacks and at the 51st minute Hatifie scored with a piledriver.

In a frenzy of end-to-end action, the match refused to settle down and Afghanistan again put themselves in lead a couple minutes later through 19-year-old Omid Popalzay’s curling free-kick from the edge of the Maldivian penalty area.