India Beat Maldives 1-0 to Top Group B and Reach SAFF Championship Semifinals
India secured a place in the semifinals of the SAFF Championship 2026 after defeating the Maldives 1-0 in their final Group B match at the National Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Wednesday. Suhail Ahmad Bhat scored the only goal of the match from the penalty spot, while goalkeeper Priyansh Dubey played a crucial role in preserving India’s clean sheet.
The defending champions finished the group stage at the top of Group B with six points from two victories. Pakistan finished second with three points, while the Maldives ended their campaign without a point.
Suhail Bhat’s Penalty Gives India the Lead
India started the match on the front foot, creating attacking opportunities and putting pressure on the Maldivian defence. Suhail Bhat tested goalkeeper Hussain Shareef early in the contest, but India struggled to find the breakthrough from open play.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 38th minute when Abdul Rabeeh was brought down inside the penalty area by Maldives defender Hussain Sifaau Yoosuf.
Suhail stepped up to take the resulting penalty and calmly sent Shareef the wrong way, placing the ball into the bottom-left corner to give India a 1-0 advantage.
The goal took Bhat’s tournament tally to three. He had previously scored twice in India’s 3-2 victory over Pakistan, with Manglenthang Kipgen scoring the other goal in that match.
Priyansh Dubey’s Late Saves Secure India’s Victory
India faced increased pressure from the Maldives during the closing stages of the match, but goalkeeper Priyansh Dubey produced an impressive performance to protect the lead.
Dubey first denied Ali Hamdhaan’s free-kick in the 79th minute before making another important save against Muzdhaan Hassan five minutes later.
His most crucial intervention came during stoppage time when Ethan Ibrahim Zaki attempted a close-range effort. Dubey rushed off his line and bravely blocked the shot with his face to prevent the Maldives from equalising.
The goalkeeper’s performance ensured India finished the match with a clean sheet and secured all three points.
Naushad Moosa Makes Seven Changes to India’s Starting XI
India head coach Naushad Moosa made seven changes to the starting lineup following the team’s 3-2 victory over Pakistan.
Priyansh Dubey replaced Arsh Anwer Shaikh in goal, while Chinglensana Singh Konsham took over the captaincy after Bijoy Varghese departed to join the senior national team in New Zealand.
Abhishek Suryavanshi, Muhammed Uvais, Suhail Ahmad Bhat and Ricky Shabong were among the players retained in the starting lineup.
Irfan Yadwad and Manglenthang Kipgen were introduced at half-time, while Vishnu PV replaced Bhat in the 65th minute as India looked to manage their advantage.
India to Face Group A Opponent in SAFF Semifinals
With six points from two matches, India finished as Group B winners and advanced to the semifinals of the SAFF Championship 2026.
India will face either Bangladesh, Bhutan or Sri Lanka in the last four on November 14. The opponent will be confirmed following the final Group A fixture between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
The victory also provided a positive response to India’s previous match against Pakistan, where the team conceded twice in stoppage time despite establishing a three-goal lead before half-time.
India will now look to carry their winning momentum into the knockout stage as the defending champions continue their pursuit of another SAFF Championship title.
