AFC Challenge Cup: Maldives 2 - 3 Myanmar

Myanmar won 3 goals to 2 against Maldives in the inauguration match of the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup played at the National Football Stadium, Male’ tonight. The match kicked off at 9:00 p.m. Myanmar squad was reduced to 10 players in the 22nd minute when Thein Zaw was sent off with a red card, after accumulating two yellow cards. However, Myanmar team pressed hard and Kyaw Ko Ko soon scored the team's first goal. Maldives was unable to take advantage of Myanmar’s handicap and Myanmar scored its second goal in the 45th minute of the game. The goal was scored by midfielder Nyein Chan Aung. Maldives attempted a fair share of attacks during the agitated and fast-paced first 45 minutes of the game. Maldives started the second half after replacing midfielder jersey number 8 Shamweel Qasim (Bonda) with jersey number 6, midfielder Mohamed Arif (Bakaa). Maldives pressed harder during the first few minutes of the second half and scored their first goal in the 54th minute, bringing the scored to Myanmar 2, Maldives 1. Maldives soon switched a midfielder; number 18 Hussain Niyaz Mohamed (Bokury) with number 5 Ibrahim Fazeel (Oppo). Maldives also managed to get a few kicks on the goal but failed execute a clear finish. Maldives' star player and captain Ali Ashfar (Dhagandey) placed a well passed ball Myanmar's net in the 66th minute of the game, but the assistant referee had already raised his flag for an offside ball. Myanmar team took full advantage of Maldives' weak defence and the lags in attacks. Striker Kyaw Ko Ko soon scored Myanmar’s 3rd goal in the 90th minute. Maldives captain Ali Ashfaq, who showed an excellent performance throughout the game, scored Maldives’ second goal during the last two minutes of the 7 minutes of added time. The game came to a close at during the 97th minute. The foul-heavy match saw 1 red card and 9 yellow cards. Jersey number 13, defender Akram Abdul Ghanee was the sole Maldivian player to earn a yellow card. During the first match of the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup match played in the National Football stadium at 4:00 p.m. today, Palestine won 1 nil against Kyrgyzstan, which has placed Palestine, along with Myanmar, at the lead of the table. Two Group B matches will be played on Tuesday at the Addu Football Stadium in Hithadhoo, Addu City. The first match, between Turkmenistan and Laos, will kick-off at 4:00 p.m. The second match, between Philippines and Afghanistan, will kick off at 9:00 p.m.

The match has ended.

Goal for Maldives!

Myanmar scores third goal, with five minutes left for stoppage time.

Seven minutes have been given as extra time.

Myanmar changes another player, with less than two minutes left for the 90 minute mark.

Another shot by Myanmar on target has been defended by goalkeeper Imran.

Maldives replaces Mohamed Rasheed with Asadhulla.

Just five minutes left of the second half, and the score is Maldives 1, Myanmar 2.

An attack by Aku has been stopped by Myanmar’s defenders.

Dhagandey had the chance to score a few minutes ago, but the opportunity was lost when he tried to pass to Oppo who was in the penalty area.

A Myanmar player is injured.

A counterattack by Maldives has been defended by Myanmar, before the ball could reach Dhagandey in the penalty area.

Maldives’ Aku gets a yellow card following a foul.

Seven yellow cards and one red card have been issued by the 73rd minute, all to Myanmar.

Myanmar’s Min Min Thu has been issued a yellow card.

Myanmar has replaced number 4 with number 11.

Oppo receives the ball in the penalty area and shoots.

Maldives has scored, but Dhagandey was offside.

Myanmar’s Yan Aung Kyaw has been issued a yellow card after he fouled Maldives’ captain Dhangandey.

A Maldivian player has committed a foul again.

A cross by Oppo fails to reach Sentey, who is in the penalty area.

Oppo has replaced Bokury for Maldives.

Burmese captain has been fouled by Maldives’ Aku.

This goal for Maldives ten minutes into the second half came from Mohamed Umair.

Maldives scores!

Similar to the first half, Maldives has created about three potential attacks early in the second half, but are unsuccessful.

Umair shoots, but off target above the goal.

Maldives has earned a corner.

Myanmar continues to be stronger than Maldives, and has attacked already in the first few minutes.

The second half is under way. Maldives has replaced Bonda with Bakaa.

AFC has reported a case to police after a ‘drone’ is seen hovering over the National Football Stadium. Police said that efforts are under way to find the person or group controlling the drone.

The first half has come to an end. Myanmar has played with 10 players since the 21st minute, but managed to take lead against Maldives by 2 goals.

Maldives has so far shown good offensive skills, but the defenders have made several mistakes, giving Myanmar a lead by two goals.

Four minutes have been given as stoppage time for the first half. The score is Myanmar 2, Maldives 0.

Myanmar scores again, this time by Nyein Chan Aung.

Maldives earns a corner, taken by Umair. It is saved by the Burmese goalkeeper.

Maldives has so far not been able to use the shortage of one player in the Myanmar team to its advantage.

The goal came in the 39th minute from Kyan Ko Ko.

Goal for Myanmar!

Imran has saved another attack on target by Myanmar.

Another opportunity for Bokury to score, has gone to waste.

A dangerous attack by Myanmar has been defended by goalkeeper Imran.

The referee has granted a water break.

Ashfag, receiving the ball from Bokury, has entered the penalty area but could not cross the ball to Dhagandey.

Myanmar is strong, despite being short of one player.

Burmese officials are complaining after the red card against Thein Zaw.

Myanmar strikes again, but off target.

Dhagandey has passed the ball to Sentey who was in the Myanmar penalty area, but Sentey did not manage to shoot on target.

Myanmar’s Thein Zaw has been dismissed after a second yellow card for a handball.

A free kick taken by Umair from one side of the penalty area has been stopped by the Burmese goalkeeper.

Prior to the match, Maldivian team coach said that he knows most players of the Myanmar team well – which made it easier to produce the game plan against Myanmar.

A yellow card has been issued to the Burmese team captain after he fouled Kudattey.

An attack by Maldives has been saved by the Burmese goalkeeper.

Maldives has earned and taken free kick, after Dhagandey was fouled.

A free kick by Myanmar has been defended by goalkeeper Imran.

Myanmar’s new coach since February is from Serbia. He has acted as coach for the national teams of Singapore, Oman, and Kuwait in the past.

Sentey tries to pass to Dhagandey in the Myanmar penalty area, but is unsuccessful.

Imran has returned to the match.

Maldives’ goalkeeper Imran is injured.

Maldives’ defence seems weak, as Myanmar creates third attack in the fifth minute.

Maynmar has a strong team, and includes several members of Yangon United which met New Radient at last year’s AFC Football Cup in the Group stage.

Maldives earned a free kick.

The first attack by Myanmar, inside the penalty area, is off target.

The match is under way.

Now, Maldives' national anthem.

Now we are hearing Myanmar’s national anthem.

Both teams are on the field, and Chief Guest Maumoon Abdul Gayoom is shaking hands with the players.

Good luck Maldives!#MageyGaumuMageyTeam #AFCChallengeCup2014 #MGMT

— Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (@maumoonagayoom) May 19, 2014

Chief Guest former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, as well as President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom are present at the stadium.

The opening ceremony is under way. Songs and dance items are being presented at the stadium.

The winner of this tournament will secure a spot in the Asian Cup. Myanmar played in the Asian Cup in 1968.

A large number of people have already entered the stadium, but there is a huge crowd outside as well. Supporters in the stadium are cheering with drums and horns.