Defending champions India suffered a shock 1-2 defeat against the Maldives in the final of 2018 South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship at Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka, Bangladesh on Saturday.
In a lack-lustre final, subsitute Sumeet Passi pulled one back in the injury time for India, but it proved too little and too late for the highest ranked side in the tournament
India conceded an early goal in the 19th minute with Maldives forward Ibrahim Mahudhee finding the back of the net. The underdogs doubled the lead in the 66th minute with Ali Fasir beating Vishal Kaith for the second time in the match.
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This is the second title for the Maldives. In 2008, they beat India by a solitary goal to lift their maiden trophy.
Stephen Constantine's outfit failed to keep the fire burning in the all-important match. India had defeated the Maldives 2-0 in their Group B meeting earlier in the tournament with Nikhil Poojari and Manvir Singh getting their names on the score sheet.
India, in the absence of regulars like Sunil Chhetri, Jeje Lalpekhlua, Sandesh Jhingan and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, virtually fielded an under-23 team. But they have so far dominated the tournament with their commanding performance.
But it proved to be different affair in the final today, with the Maldives getting their revenge on the most successful team in the tournament's history.
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India, the overwhelming favourites, were chasing a record-extending 8th time.
In the last edition’s final, India beat defending champions Afghanistan 2-1 in extra-time at Thiruvananthapuram to exact the 2013 defeat.
