What happened the last time Indian Football Team met Maldives?

Indian Football Team and the Red Snappers’ last meeting came in the 2021 SAFF Championship.

Ahead of the upcoming Indian football team‘s upcoming international friendly against island nation Maldives, Khel Now recounts one of the most recent yet action-packed encounters between both nations. In a pivotal Group 1 encounter during the 2021 SAFF Championship, the Indian national football team needed to desperately win their final game against the Red Snappers.

Before the Maldives game, India had only managed to secure one win and two draws in their three group games. The Blue Tigers entered the match with a clear objective which was to win and secure their place in the SAFF Championship Final.

Manvir Singh gave the perfect start

The Indian Football Team displayed intent from the first whistle, pressing high and creating early opportunities in a hostile environment in Malé. The breakthrough came in the 33rd minute when forward Manvir Singh latched onto a lovely pass from Brandon Fernandes and capitalized on a defensive lapse by the Maldivian defense, slotting the ball past the goalkeeper to give India a deserved 1-0 lead.

The goal was the forward’s first goal of the tournament and came in possibly the biggest game for his side. However, the resilient home side responded just before halftime with veteran striker Ali Ashfaq converting a penalty in the 45th minute for his third goal of the tournament.

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Sunil Chhetri balled out for the visitors

The second half belonged to India’s talismanic captain, Sunil Chhetri. With the game evenly level at 1-1, the 40-year-old demonstrated his predatory instincts and found the back of the net twice in quick succession.

His first goal came in the 62nd minute when he latched on perfectly to Manvir Singh’s deflected effort and finished the looping ball perfectly past the goalkeeper with a spectacular volley. He followed his first goal with another in the 71st minute, when he scored a brilliant header courtesy of a lovely ball from Pritam Kotal, effectively sealing the match for Indian Football Team.

These goals not only secured the win but also highlighted why Chhetri was the best player on the pitch by a country mile. Indian Football Team took away significant momentum from the Maldives game as they romped to a 3-0 win over Nepal in the SAFF Championship Final.

India vs Maldives has always been an exciting fixture

The rivalry between India and Maldives has been a fixture in South Asian football. Both sides have faced each other 12 times in the past before the 2021 SAFF Championship group game. In the all-time record, India has won on seven occasions, with Maldives only managing three wins and drawing on two other occasions.

The 2021 victory was particularly sweet for the Indian Football Team, as it avenged the 2018 final loss, where the Maldives had beaten them by a scoreline of 2-1. The game reaffirmed India’s dominance in the region and highlighted why India has been the most successful team in the SAFF Championship.

The Blue Tigers and Red Snappers renew old rivalry

With India and Maldives preparing for their upcoming international friendly on March 19, 2025, the dynamics between the two sides have changed significantly. While India remains winless for more than a year now, Maldives have won one and lost one game in 2024.

The dawn of the new year will also see the return of Sunil Chhetri, who is coming out of retirement to help and inspire the new generation of footballers within the national squad set-up. The upcoming International friendly against the Red Snappers allows India an opportunity to carry with them a winning momentum ahead of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers 2027 games.

While things certainly could go the other way for Manolo Marquez’s men, however, the Indian Football Team will surely put their best foot forward ahead of a crucial year of games.

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