The Maldives secured a dramatic 2–1 victory over Timor-Leste in their Asian Cup qualification group stage match at the National Stadium on Sunday.

After a quiet first half, Timor-Leste took the lead in the 66th minute through a deflected effort by Alexandro Bahkito Lemos. Despite several attempts, the Maldives struggled to break through until captain Samooh Ali equalized in the 89th minute.

Moments later, the Maldives were awarded a penalty, which Ali Fasir converted to seal a last-minute comeback win.

The result keeps the Maldives level on 13 points with Tajikistan and the Philippines at the top of the group, with goal difference separating the teams. The final group standings will be decided in the upcoming matches.

This match also marked a strong start for new head coach István Urbányi, as the Maldives continued their push for top spot in the qualifiers.