The Maldives began their campaign at the SAFF Men’s Futsal Championship in Thailand with a convincing 7-1 victory over Pakistan on Wednesday.

Ahmed Hameed opened the scoring in the 12th minute, followed by a goal from Ali Shiyah. Pakistan briefly responded with a goal from captain Mohammad Imran, but Maldives quickly regained control. Maldivian keeper Zaidan Ahmed contributed by turning a dangerous Pakistan attack into a goal, while Ali Shamaal Abdulla extended the lead with a penalty.

In the second half, Maldives maintained dominance despite Pakistan’s attempts to use power plays. Captain Mohammad Imran scored his sixth goal of the tournament, followed by a Pakistan goal from Nisar Hussain. Abdulla Shafiu sealed the 7-1 victory for Maldives with a skillful finish.

This year’s SAFF Futsal Championship marks the first futsal tournament under SAFF, featuring teams from Maldives, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka.