Maldives beat Combodia
Dhaka, 11 January 2016: Maldives, the Red Snappers, begin their cruise of the prestigious Bangabandhu Gold Cup-2016 with a 3-2 win over Cambodian, the Angkor Warriors in the second match of Group-B on Monday at the Shams-Ul-Huda Stadium in Jessore.
FIFA’s 180th ranked Cambodia played better then the 160th placers Maldives but failed to win the match due to lack of finishing touch. Besides, Cambodian custodian lacked skills and thus concede goals.
Maldives were defeated in their last international match by 3-2 margin in against to India in the semi-final of the SAFF Championship-2015 and with the win on Monday, they returned in the winning way.
Playing four matches, Maldives boys won three and drew one against the rivals up to now.
In the match on Monday, Maldives striker Hassan Naiz scored a brace and assisted for one goal in the match for which he was adjudged the man of the mach.
The ‘Red Snappers’ took the lead in the fourth minute of the match. Their midfielder Easa Ismail quickly entered the box quickly and nicely converted a pass of striker Hassan Naiz into the post while the Cambodian stunned custodian Seri Rath Um had nothing to do at all.Â
The red jerseys could double the lead if their striker Hassan Naiz had succeeded to send the ball home in the sixth minute. But Cambodian custodian Seri didn’t like to take the risk this time and hurriedly take control over the ball.
Following a series of futile efforts, the Angkor Warriors hold the red rivals in the 15th minute. Their striker Vandeth Son scored the equaliser with a left footed volley.
Yet the Maldives youths take their second lead in the 38th minute they could not maintain the lead till the short whistle.
Charring the ball into the box, Maldives striker Hassan rolled it into the post to break the parity while the Cambodian midfielder Dina Tit placed a cross of his compatriot striker Chanrasmey Sok into the post to level the margin.
The Cambodian side came near to escape the grip of opponents in the 63rd minute with their midfielder Pidor Sam Oeum took a left-footed volley from the edge of the D-box but Maldives midfielder Ali Ashadh blocked the shot with his chest.
Striker Hassan Naiz scored the match winning goal for the ‘Red Snappers’ in the 80th minute of the match.
However, Naiz would make a hat-trick in the 82nd minute if he could head on a cross of his fellow near the small box.